Princess of the Rogue
by HuntressDiana
Summary: Alanna was banished from Trebond when she tried to become a knight. Disinherited by her father and betrayed by her brother, Alanna has built herself a new family of the Rogue. Now she must fight to protect those she loves from one who would kill them all.
1. Intro, apologies, disclaimer

**Princess Of The Rogue.**

**By HuntressDiana.**

Well, this is my first finished epic and I will be editing it over the next couple of months, it won't be anything major, but I will be adding in an extra scene or two, or maybe deleting one. I certainly will be improving upon the flow of the fic and adding in extra description and checking grammar and spelling. I will also be ironing out any plot holes or discrepancies, so many thanks to everyone who has given me constructive criticism over the year I wrote this.

**Disclaimer; **Alanna, Jonathan, George, Gary, Alex, Raoul, Thom etc (basically any character you recognise from the books) do not belong to me, but are the property of Tamora Pierce. Other characters though, such as Master Raquel are mine, and you may not use them with out permission.

I was unfortunate enough to discover, during the writing of this fic, a few instances of plagiarism. This is not allowed and if I find a remarkably similar piece, it will be reported.

If you want to join my mailing list, so you will be emailed every time I update any of my fics, please email me (the address is on my profile) or join my yahoo group.

Thank you to everyone who has ever reviewed me, you do encourage me to write, and if you include your email address in the review or if it is on your profile, I will reply to your review!

Thank you once more

_HuntressDiana_


	2. Chapter One: Banishment

**Chapter One; Banishment.**

"_But Father…"_

"_Do not interrupt me! You and your brother Thom have brought disrepute upon this family! He shall stay at the cloisters but as of this moment I have no daughter! I do not doubt that this was your plan and you persuaded him to do what you wanted."_

_Coram and Maude stepped forward at this, involuntarily. Before they could speak Lord Alan held up a large hand, "Be silent! And be thankful I have not banished you too! Alanna, leave Trebond by nightfall." _

_Alanna stood tall, steely eyed. Her father had never cared for either of his children overmuch, preferring to bury himself, and his grief for his wife, who had died giving birth to Alanna and her brother, in his books. He hated the fact the Alanna was a girl instead of a boy, she reminded him more of his late wife than Thom, her twin did. The twelve year old showed great restraint as she bowed at the waist_

"_As you wish. By your leave my Lord…"_

"_Go. Go. And don't let me set eyes on you again inside these grounds." _

_Alanna turned and fled the Great Hall. With a hurried curtsey and bow, Maude and Coram followed her. They found her in her rooms, packing her bags. Silently they helped, knowing that they could not leave Trebond. Alanna packed light, plans rushing through her head as fast as she abandoned them. She would go to Corus. Surely she could find work there, if not as a girl then as a boy. It would not be so different to her original plan._

_It was early morning still when Coram saddled his own horse for Alanna._

"_Go." He said huskily, "he'll come back when you send 'im. And ye must send him or he'll have our heads. You know where to go?" Alanna nodded and Coram didn't ask. He trusted Alanna to look after herself. She was hardier than her brother and fought better. "Send us letters when you can." Alanna nodded._

_Maude gave the small girl, dwarfed on top of the large gelding, a bag of herbs and food._

"_Use your Gift." She said "Use it well." _

_Alanna nodded then turned her mount's nose to the south. She took one last look at her childhood home, and then she wrapped her cloak tightly around her slim body and waved to Maude and Coram. They stepped back when, with a jerky movement, she jabbed her heels into the gelding's sides and rode off down the long road that connected Trebond to the Great Road to Corus. _

_Alanna reached Corus in two weeks, riding hard during the day and using the herbs Maude had given her, along with her Gift, to shield herself with protective circles. After one night on the road when she had fled from a band of thieves, she had been forced to overcome her fear of her Gift and to use it to survive._

_When she reached the outskirts of Corus she slid off the horse's back and unloaded her meagre supplies into the saddlebags, slinging them over her shoulders. With a regretful sigh she sent her last connection to Trebond home, with a scribbled note under its saddle. She hoped that it would get home all right, cutting across country, not by the roads they had come by._

_She wandered that day, asking everywhere she could find if they needed an assistant. No one would take in a twelve-year-old noble girl, even if she did have a strong Gift. She had very little money with her, which she kept in a purse tied around her neck, tucked inside her dirty shirt. She had changed into breeches and shirt on the road and roughly hacked her long copper hair off with her knife, leaving it ragged, but she could pass for a boy. Boys were less likely to be attacked than girls she had discovered. Another purse, containing the herbs Maude had given to her, hung at her waist._

_With not enough money to rent a room at even the cheapest inn she began to seek out a sheltered doorway to sleep in. She could not stay out in the open; she would freeze to death. She was wandering through the emptying market place when a tall, brown haired, young man bumped into her. He was perhaps twenty, _

"_Careful love." He said, steadying her with two hands at her waist. With a quick smile he disappeared into the dark. Alanna smiled grimly to herself in the gathering darkness. She knew this would happen eventually. Slowly she turned and followed the man down the alley. _

_As he bent down to examine something on the ground she drew her dagger silently and, stepping closer, holding the knife out, spoke coldly_

"_My purse if you please master." _

_He laughed, looking over his shoulder at her. Although she was the one with the knife pointed in his direction, close enough so that she could stab him with a quick step forward, the glint in his eyes was more of amusement than fear. She had no doubt that if he really wanted to keep her purse, and they fought over it, she would loose._

"_All right young miss. Let me up and I'll give it t'you." _

_Reluctantly she stepped back, drawing her knife away, but keeping it obvious in her hand. Good as his word he gave her back her purse._

"_You're quick lass." He said, looking her over, "And what is a pretty young thing like yourself doin' here in th' Lower City t'night?"_

_Alanna was too tired to lie,_

"_Trying to find a place to sleep."_

"_Come along with me then." She eyed him suspiciously. "No harm'll come t'you I promise, or your purse. I give my word." Alanna looked him in the eye. He seemed to be honest, with the exception of stealing her purse. But he _had_ given it back to her as he promised. _

_Too tired to argue, she followed him through the maze that was the streets of the lower city. She reasoned that even if he was taking her somewhere to kill her, if she had refused he would have either killed her then and there or she would have frozen to death wherever she chose to sleep outside._

"_What's your name?" He asked_

"_Alanna."_

"_Of…"_

"_I'm not a noble." She said flatly._

"_You are." He insisted, "Yer dressed like one, and you talk like one too." _

"_I'm not. Not anymore." _

_Before he commented on her strange remark he stopped. Alanna looked up, above them, swinging slightly in the breeze was a faded sign, on which she could just about discern a grey bird, wings outstretched. It proclaimed that the inn she was standing by was 'the Dancing Dove'._

"_Come on in then." He pushed open the door and as they walked in, they saw each other better. Alanna saw a man, dressed in white breeches and a white shirt. He was a little older then her previous estimation, perhaps twenty-two. He had light brown hair and mischievous hazel eyes that were looking her over shrewdly. _

_He saw a girl of twelve, hair mussed and clothes torn. She too wore breeches and shirt, but of a finer quality then his. Her hair was coppery red and her eyes were a startling violet. He tore himself away from the depths of those eyes, filled too high with sorrow and pain than any eyes of that age had a right to be._

"_Rispah!" He called. A tall, chesty redhead, locks darker than Alanna's but still bright in this land of dark haired folk, appeared. "Can Alanna here have a room? She'll be stayin' with us a while."_

"_Sure she can, George. I'll take her up to the small un at the end of the corridor."_

"_No bother, I'll take her up. Got all your stuff lass?" a cry of pain came from an unlucky man who had just been caught with his hand inside Alanna's bag. He had been dealt a smart rap across the knuckles by the flat of her dagger. The girl nodded in answer to George's question as he glared at the culprit._

"'_Fingers!" George shook his head at the sandy haired man, then took a torch from the bracket on the wall and led Alanna up a narrow flight of stairs. _

_When they stopped it was at the entrance to a small room Alanna stepped in first to look around. It was simple and plain, containing only a bed, writing desk and chair. A wooden wardrobe stood against one wall, beside a full-length mirror. With a sigh she dumped her bags in the bed and turned to face George._

"_How much?" she asked flatly. He waved the question away with a flick of his hand._

"_Stay here as long as you like."_

"_Why?" she said cynically, "Why would you let a complete stranger stay in an inn for free?"_

"_I've taken a liking t'you lass." Seeing her disbelieving glare he continued more sensibly, "I've the Sight. It told me to look after you. That's all I know, but it's enough for me. Now you tell me about yourself." _

_Slowly, question by question George drew the long sad story out of Alanna that cold, dark night. It was a terrible story that pulled at his heartstrings; it was a tale of a mother's death, a father's uncaring behaviour and the betrayal of her twin and her father. She needed to tell someone, soon the dam burst, and the woeful tale flooded out. George said nothing as it did so; he merely patted her shoulder and bade her goodnight, as, for the first time since her exile from her home weeks ago, she allowed herself to cry. _

_She cried herself to sleep that night, and for many nights afterwards. _

_But as the years passed her heart hardened and she grew into a young lady, not of Trebond, but of the Rogue._


	3. Chapter One: The first meeting

**Chapter Two; the first meeting.******

**(Two years later. Alanna is fourteen)**

The Crown Prince of Tortall rode through the streets of the lower city on Darkness, his young stallion. It was the day before his fifteenth birthday and his fellow squires; Gareth of Naxen and Raoul of Goldenlake had herded him from the palace so he would not know about his 'secret' party that was being arranged. He looked around the crowded market place, silently thanking Mithros that Darkness didn't jump at loud noises or crowded spaces. The stallholders were calling out their wares and people hurried to and fro on their daily business.

Suddenly he felt something collide with his leg, looking down, he saw a girl had been pushed into his stirrup by the crowd. She looked up as she felt his eyes rest on her, and their eyes met and held. 

Jonathan started slightly; her eyes were the colour of amethyst. He looked her up and down and she flushed slightly, but returned the gesture. 

He saw a small, slender girl with elbow length coppery hair. She wore a dagger at her hip, and another, if he wasn't mistaken, was hidden in the folds of her dark cloak. She was clad in a plain blue dress with a silver belt and necklace.

Alanna eyed the boy; she knew full well who he was and who he was pretending to be. She also knew he had no idea of her existence. He wore plain breeches and shirt. Last year he had begun coming into the city as 'Johnny', a rich fur merchant's son. Stephan, the hostler at the palace, and a member of the Rogue court, had ensured his safety by introducing him to George. George had made sure he never came to the Dove during the day and that Jonathan kept away from Alanna. She had never asked his reasons for doing that, but did not really need to know. 

Jon would be a head and a half taller than she if he stood next to her. His black hair was tousled and his sapphire eyes gleamed. He was at ease in the saddle and he too carried a dagger at his waist. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could voice any words or ask any questions, Alanna slipped away into the crowd. 

In vain he scanned the people thronging the square, searching for her. 

Raoul broke his concentration as he yelled to see if Jon could lend him a Noble, he needed a new sword belt. Jon nudged Darkness through the people towards his friends as he reached for his purse at his waist. To his shock it wasn't there.

"My purse is gone!" he called to his companions. Gary clapped a hand on his shoulder in sympathy.

"His first ever pick pocket. I hope you didn't have much money in there cousin." Jon thought, and then had to admit that he had not.

Once more he scanned the crowd for the lavender eyed girl. She had vanished from his sight, but not from his thoughts.


	4. Chapter Two: Second Meeting

**Chapter Three: the second meeting.**

**(Alanna is fifteen)**

**By the way Janome is mine, as is Selket and any others you don't know. **

**HuntressDiana**

Jonathon was backed into an alley, ten men had approached him as dusk fell and they now stood threateningly in front of him. He had been walking to the Dove for his first night time visit, when the gang had come from out of a side road, aimed straight for him. They had circled his back and sides, leaving only his back safe. Slowly, advancing, they had driven him back into the alley, his back set against a wall.

He had killed one of them when the man had drawn his sword. Just as he prepared to launch himself at the smallest man, still a head taller than him, when some at the back turned to run. He risked a glance around himself, trying to see whether what had scared the men was on his side or theirs, he strained out of the very corners of his eyes. He soon realised why, as a clear voice came from the right, above his head. Glancing up, along with the men, he saw a slim figure silhouetted against the moon.

"Are any more of you Rogue?" One more man fled, now only six remained before Jon and the stranger. A soft 'thump' came from his left. The person had dropped from the high wall they were standing on, to land with cat like grace on the ground. As they rose a sword whispered from a sheath and they held it out purposely in front of their body. Jon looked at the stranger's back as they stepped forwards slightly. They were hooded and swathed in a dark blue woollen cloak. A brooch clasped the hood close, leaving the face in darkness, A voice came once more from the shadow.

"Janome! Go back to the Dove. George'll deal with you. Wait there 'till I get back" The smallest man, thin as a rake, stepped forward into the 

puddle of moonlight,

"Aye Highness." He bowed slightly from the waist, then hurried from the alley. That left only five men against Jon and his ally. He moved forwards, to protect his companion's left side. Silently the men attacked. They knew better than to create a loud fight in the alley that would draw all the knight in the neighbourhood down upon them. 

Jon and his ally however had no such qualms. They swiftly parried and thrust, not dulling the ring of their blades as they fought. They claimed two of the men swiftly, these men were brawlers, street fighters, not swords men. They fought dirty. A cry of rage came from Jon's helper, Jon thrust at his opponent, and as the man stumbled back, he glanced to his left. The thief had melted the stranger's sword; their attacker was Gifted with a green flame. Jonathon's ally was sword less, and one of Jon's assailants moved to fight the weaker person, leaving Jon fighting with sword and body against a far larger opponent, but here his speed and agility helped him win the fight.

When he had finally slain his attacker, using a neat butterfly sweep, crescent cut combination he turned to face the other fight. One man lay dead, a dagger imbedded deeply in his chest, the other however still fought. But Jon's partner was fighting in an unusual way. They jumped high into the air, flipping over the man's head to avoid bolts of green fire, then, as soon as their feet touched the ground, a leg lashed out in a high kick, to send the man flying. As he scrabbled to his feet, intending to run, he faltered; a throwing star rooted in his side.

Jonathon called upon his own Gift, a brilliant blue light illuminated the alleyway, showing his helper bending over the bodies to pick up their weapons. As they straightened, Jon caught sight of long hair spilling from the cloak. The figure turned, the hood back from their face. Jon started slightly, as a pair of violet eyes caught his own. 

"You!" he blurted. 

The girl's mouth twisted in amusement,

"Me." She agreed as she tucked her dagger back into a wrist sheath and the throwing star went into the depths of her cloak somewhere. "Be more careful where you walk in the Lower City at night." She cautioned. She turned to walk out of the alleyway, "Go home."

"You're a thief!" Jonathon's words froze her in her tracks. Slowly she turned to face him once more, her face hard,

"There are worse things in this city than me." The girl kicked at one of the bodies littering the road, her eyes were expressionless. "Go back to your palace Prince." With a harsh gesture she pulled her hood back up and stalked from the alley. By the time Jon had reached the main street she had vanished from sight. With a shrug he continued his walk to the Dancing Dove, looking warily around himself and with his sword drawn.

Okay, I've been forced into this once more so here we go… 

**By the way, If you like this check out my other Alanna one, 'Royal Purple Flame' and if you want to subscribe to my mailing list, which tells you when I update any of my stories write in your review 'mailing list: Please sign me up!' or words to the same effect. And INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. Or simply email me at Dianahunters@yahoo.co.uk and tell me which story you are reviewing.**

~J~ :I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, it has been changed.

Nicole :I never give hints about pairings out. Lets just say, I like Alanna and I like Jon ***hint hint hint***  Don't despair A/G or A/J if I get enough requests, which ever way this story ends I can add a couple of chapters for the other couples ending, if I get enough decent reviews asking me for it.

honeybee : Thom goes to the convent to become a sorcerer, so his life is pretty much the same as in the books.


	5. Chapter Three, The Dancing Dove

****

Chapter four; The Dancing Dove

Okay, here it is, thanks to all my faithful reviewers who have given me great points, this is for you. 

Jonathon reached the Dove swiftly and without any further confrontations. He had only just stepped inside the worn wooden door when he heard the mysterious girl's voice again.

"Ten. Four Rogue. The rest are all dead. Selket's men then?" 

"Aye." A deep man's voice answered her.

"Did Janome return here?"

"Nay. And that'll be the last we seem of him I warrant." Jon froze in the doorway as he listened to this exchange. So George knew her then, and they were on good times too, she had spoken to him as an equal, not in the undertones of a servant and not with the respect of the thieves. 

He slipped in through the inner door, catching sight of her some two metres away from him. She took her cloak off, revealing herself to his sight. He looked her over thoughtfully; she was clad in a moss green dress that emphasised her hair, which brushed her shoulder blades. Confidently, as if she owned the place she walked to a table in the corner. Whenever Jon had come to the Dove and any female had walked across the floor the men usually tried to touch her or pull her onto their laps, in return receiving a good natured slap from the women. No one touched this girl as she wove her way through the tables. 

"You need to take better care of your Prince my Lords." Her tone was semi mocking, but half earnest as she addressed the occupants of the far table. "He almost died tonight. He would have if I hadn't shown up." Jonathon stepped out of hiding into the open as George walked over to the table and sat heavily down. At a gesture from George, the girl began handing over weapons. By the time Jon had walked halfway across the room, four daggers, two throwing stars and a bow were piled on the table. A familiar voice then spoke, 

"Mithros! I swear I will never know how you hide all that in your cloak and dress."

"It's an art." She spoke jokingly as she answered Raoul.

"I'll say." Gary commented, raising an eyebrow, "You're late Jon." The girl spun to see Jon standing right behind her. "Jon, this is Lady Alanna, Alanna, Prince Jonathon of Conté." A hard look flickered through her eyes as Gary spoke, 

"Highness." He bowed slightly as she curtsied, 

"Lady Alanna." 

"I'm no noble your highness, just Alanna will be fine." Gary let out a grunt of pain as her foot connected with his. "_Sir _Gareth knows I loathe that."

Before Jonathon could reply, Rispah, George's cousin came from the kitchen.

"Alanna! Got a sec? We need another pair of hands. Change first though." Alanna nodded, 

"Give me a minute." She turned back to the young knights. "I was with Eleni. She insists I get dressed up 'like a lady'." With a roll of her eyes she hitched up her skirts and ran up a narrow stairway.

Jon turned to George, 

"You have a daughter?"

"Nay. She's adopted sort of."

"Oh?"

"She'll tell yeh if she wants yeh to know." George said in a tone that told Jon not to press any further.

"And she wont for some time yet." Raoul remarked, "She's secretive."

"I heard that!" Alanna came back down the stairs, she had changed from the pretty green dress, into a simple low blouse and skirt that the barmaids wore. To George, but partially to Jon she said, "Solom's sent some men to clear up. Selket'll get a warning." She turned back to the table

"Anyway. What do you all want? Lemonade? Or ale?" She took their orders and went off to the bar, returning with four full tankards. Rispah popped her head into the main room and yelled for Alanna again. With a nod the girl hurried away.

"What do you think of her?" Gary wanted to know.

"She's…nice I guess. A little surprising."

"Yeah." Raoul nodded, "She is that. But you haven't seen anything yet." Jon sat in the last chair grouped around the table, 

"Have I met her before? I know I've seen her in the great market, she was the one who stole my purse."

"I gave it back" George protested, "She knew who you were all the time- thought it'd be a challenge for her."

"No much of one." Raoul clapped him on the shoulder, "She took it really quickly, while he was still trying to figure out who she was."

George nodded gravely, 

"She's quick. She's met you before though, although you don't remember it." Jon looked to his companions for explanation. Gary sighed and began to explain, 

"You remember when you took sick with the Sweating Sickness eight months back?" 

****

Well, there it is, now in repayment for giving me achy fingers and a sore back, review me!!!!


	6. Chapter Four, Visions of death

Chapter Five; Visions of death.

Okay just for the record people this IS MEANT TO ALL BE IN ITALICS!!!! In this story, any large passages in italics are set in the past.

_"I wont! I don't owe him anything!"_

_"Alanna you must!" George said calmly. While she was flushed with anger and pacing the room, he leant on the armoire, playing with a hairbrush. She reached over and before he could blink the hairbrush was out of his hands and out the window into the courtyard below. George continued, just as calmly as before._

_"He'll die otherwise, and the Conté Duke will be the next King." Alanna threw herself onto the bed, pouting like a little girl._

_"Please Alanna." Gary pleaded, "You haven't met him. Don't refuse because he's the Prince. Do it for my friend."_

_"Very well." Alanna sighed. "But you better think of a good reason why I am there to give to Duke Baird." Raoul nodded, _

_"We've thought about that. You are my uncle's daughter, from the Copper Isles." Alanna nodded, _

_"Let me get my stuff." She said. The men left her room and waited downstairs. She followed them a few minutes later, wearing a nondescript dress and cloak, with a brown wig covering her distinctive hair. She looked very different._

_Duke Baird greeted them as they escorted Alanna to the healers' quarters._

_"Lady Alanna, You grace us with your presence and we thank you for your attempts at curing our Prince." Alanna nodded, _

_"Your Grace." She dipped into an awkward curtsey he smiled then led her into Jonathon's room, leaving Gary and Raoul in the hallway._

_As soon as she stepped into the room she almost choked on the incense thick air. Priests, wailing ladies and nobles clustered around the bed._

_"Get out!" She cried, "he isn't dead yet, but you will hurry him on his way if he can't breathe." At a nod from the Duke they all filed from the room, the ladies still weeping and mopping their eyes with lace edged handkerchiefs. Alanna immediately climbed upon a chair and opened a window. Then, as she climbed down, she took off her cloak and wig. _

_"Your Grace, if we are to work together, then I won't lie to you. I am no relative of Raoul."_

_"I know." As Alanna looked to the healer of an explanation he continued, "Raoul's mother was an only child." Alanna sank into the chair._

_"So why did you let me in here?"_

_"Every healer in the city is exhausted, and I have yet to find a reason not to trust Gary or Raoul. You are our only hope."_

_"I will do my best. What have you tried?"_

_The two spent more than an hour in conference, before Alanna even began to treat the Prince. As she began to sort through her herbs, the Duke took his leave, saying he had other patients to attend to._

_Alanna tried many different cures over the next two days, but although some helped, none cured. Eventually, after consulting the exhausted Mistress Cooper she cast vervain leaves into the fire. Slowly the red and yellow flames turned purple. Silently she called on aid from the Gods, she kept the connection for several minutes, pain burning up her arms, but no help came. With a deep breath she dived inside herself, finding her core of magic. Then she walked out of the fire and approached the sick Prince's bed. He was pale and his dark hair was matted with sweat. His full lips were dry and cracked from the high fever. He looked very different to the boy she had robbed in the market place. She sat on the edge of his bed and reached for his hands. She grasped them tightly and slowly slipped from her mind, down her arms and into his mind. Suddenly she realised she could sense his thoughts. There was pain, so much pain, but the purple fire made it dim slightly, and the firm grip on his hands was comforting. Then Alanna felt it. A dark hole yawned in his mind. Carefully she drew near it and looked over the rim. The Prince lay at the bottom of the pit, and the Dark God glided towards him. _

_With a cry of rage, Alanna flung herself down the well recklessly. She landed safely, however, between the Dark God and his prey._

_"You can't have him." She declared fiercely, a mocking laugh came from the grey cowl._

_"Come now, let the boy die."_

_"No. Never!" She cried,_

_"Never? Not even for your mother?" A figure dressed in white stepped out from behind the God. She had dark blond hair and violet eyes like Alanna's own, _

_"Ma?"_

_"Alanna dear. It's me. It is so good to see you at last." Alanna looked at her mother for the first time in her fourteen years. "He says you can only take one of us out of here. Me, or the Prince." Alanna stepped forwards, away from the silent Jon._

_"Mother?"_

_"Yes! Come take my hand. We can leave him here and be gone in seconds." At that, Alanna snapped her hand away and stepped back._

_"You're not my mother. She would have done anything for somebody else, even died for them. Especially royalty." The woman turned away, hands over her face, and then spun suddenly, hands falling away from the rotting face of a corpse. The lifeless eyes stared at Alanna, who let out a small scream, _

_"Stupid child. You could have left easily, but now…"_

_"And taken a demon into my world?" Alanna retorted, "I think not!" She found and clasped Jon's hand and together they began to rise out of the deep hole. At the last second the demon leapt and grabbed Alanna's ankle, while she kicked to try and shake it off._

_"No!" Jonathon was out of the pit and grabbed her other hand as well, hauling her out of the hole. She landed on top of him as the demon suddenly released her. _

_"Thank you." His voice was deep and soft, that of the king he would be._

_"Any time." Her own voice was that of a grown lady._

_When she woke, her head was cradled on the Prince's broad chest, his hand tightly clenched around hers. With a gasp she pulled away and hurriedly stuffed her herbs into her bag. The Prince woke up as she swirled her cloak around her body, and hid her face in the deep hood. With a muttered curse she rushed from the room as Jon sat up._

_Duke Baird met her as she ran from the healer's wing._

_"He's healed," was all she would say. Then as something occurred to her, she faced the older man. "Don't tell him who cured him please. Tell him whatever you like but I want to be left out of it. Tell Raoul and Gary the same." Seeing her panicked and distraught expression the healer nodded._

_Without waiting for anything more, she bowed then ran out of the palace._

_When she reached the Dove she brushed all questions aside from all but to George to whom she said flatly,_

_"He's fine. I need to be alone." The Rogue nodded as the girl fled to her room. There she sat for agonising hours as she cried into her pillow, questioning her choice. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically. Silently, when she was all cried out, she slipped backwards onto her pillows and slept._

Wow, angsty chapter. That'll bring some issues up pretty damn soon. Meanwhile… Review me and let me know what you think.


	7. Chapter Five, Silvereves

**Chapter Six, Silvereves.**

Wow! I now have loads of reviews! Thank you all. And please, keep them coming.

"She was the one who saved me?" Jon repeated, "So Silvereves belongs to Alanna."

"Eh? What's this about Silvereves?" George asked,

"King Roald gave the fief of Silvereves to the person who saved me. Duke Baird only told us it was a girl and that she would return when the time was right. Gary and Raoul here were always secretive about it." He sat back in his chair, taking it all in, "So Alanna owns a small fief to the North. Sir Myles of Olau is managing it at the moment."

"Well." George leant on the table, "That's one thing I didn't know. Mind you, the gal never told me much about how she cured you." 

"I'd leave it for a while if I were you Jon," Gary advised his cousin, "she's fiercely protective of her secrets and she has a lot of them. George here is the only one who knows anything about her past. We only met her a year ago, and she only told us the basics, like her age."

"Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't you tell me?"

"She made us promise not to." Raoul spoke, "we wanted to, but that was part of the deal, she'd cure you if we kept it quiet. She doesn't like people, especially nobles knowing about her. And you have never seen her angry, really angry. I tried to convince her to tell you and she nearly lost it. I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley at night when she is in a bad mood."

Jon glanced over at the girl. Alanna was talking raptly to the old doorkeeper; Solom, her fiery hair tamed by a headscarf. She felt his eyes on her and looked around, she grinned slightly then turned back to her conversation.

"Looking at her, you wouldn't think she could fight as well as she does would you?" Gary voiced his friend's thoughts.

"No. Quite honestly," Jon spoke absently, his eyes still fixed on the redhead, "She surprised me in the alley. She took down three armed men in an eye blink. How can she fight like that?"

George smirked, 

"If the three of yeh will turn up here at six in the mornin' tomorrow I'll show you."

** I know it was short, but I want to send out my first update notice from my new site!!!!  Go to http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Huntressdiana_updates to check it out and join my group to chat with me and other people. I'll try and update again as soon as possible.**

**HuntressDiana.**


	8. Chapter Six, Lioness Training

**Chapter Seven; Lioness training.******

The knights, true to their word, arrived at the Dove as the sun's first rays began to creep over the eastern horizon. George was already awake and he led them out to a backyard none of them had ever seen before. 

A person stood in the middle of the court, surrounded by dummies, targets and racks of weapons. A horsehide stuffed with hay hung from a wooden support stood in front of the figure, swaying slightly in the wind. They were clad in breeches and a form fitting shirt, as they turned to the side, picking up bandages and winding them around their hands, her distinctly feminine figure was highlighted by the red sun.

Alanna began to stretch, hair pulled back into a horsetail at the base of her neck, before launching into a dazzling series of acrobatics. She whirled through a sequence of cartwheels, somersaults and airborne twists. She moved so fast her feet seemed to barely touch the ground. Only George remained calm, the boys were stunned, Jon less so than the others, because he had seen her use these moves in a fight, but the others had only seen her archery and knife work.

"She's off her form." George observed quietly, "She'd usually have known we were here by now."

Alanna now turned to archery, deliberately picking up a crossbow and examining the bolts. Calmly she shot three rounds into the furthest target, some fifty feet away from her. None missed the inner circle.

The longbow was next, a tall, supple staff. She set the base against her foot and looped the string over the top in a quick movement. She picked an arrow from the rack and tested its balance then nodded and nocked it to the string. Suddenly she whirled on her heel and aimed straight at the four intruders. Seeing who they were, she relaxed slightly.

"George. Go away, now is not a good time." She loosed the arrow. It flew straight between Gary and Jon's heads, imbedding itself deeply into the inn wall. She threw the bow down as she turned her back, obviously expecting them to leave. She advanced on the horse skin and began punching it.

With a cry of frustration she spun and lashed out with her leg. Her foot hit the bag with a loud 'whack' and they winced slightly at the pain that blow must have caused on her bare feet. Alanna didn't seem to feel it though; she continued hitting the bag. Left, right, fists, feet, elbows. She used every part of her body to rain blows down upon the helpless bag.

"Come on boys. We better go." Gary and Raoul began to follow George back into the inn.

"Jon?" Raoul halted as the Prince stayed, leaning on the fence.

"You go. I'll see you back at the Palace."

"You sure?"

Jon nodded,

"Yes." As the others left he turned once more to watch the red headed girl pounding the bag. 

He remembered something George had said to him alone last night, just before they had left the Dancing Dove.

_"She's got a lot of anger Jon. She'll be a great and loyal friend to you, or she can be your worst enemy. Don't hurt her, I care as much for her as if she'd been my own daughter." _

_He remembered his own solemn reply to the King of thieves, simple, but as good as George would ever need,  _

_"I won't"._

Alanna's hair had slipped from its binding now and flew around her face as she spun into an intricate series of kicks and jabs. She heard him approach and stood from her crouch, stilling the bag with both hands as she did so.

"George…"

"It's not George." She turned abruptly, 

"Highness!"

"Jon." He reminded her, 

"Jon." She corrected herself. "What are you still doing here?"

"Watching you." The frank reply was not what she had expected at all,

"Oh."

"Where did you learn to fight like that? Shang style I mean." 

She pulled her hair away from her face and tied it again with the leather thong, 

"George saved a Shang a few years ago and he recalled the favour. He says it will keep me out of trouble." Jonathan leant on a rack of throwing stars, daggers and bolts for a crossbow, 

"Has it?"

"Not really." She laughed slightly. Jon had never heard her laugh before and he guessed that it was a rare occurrence. Her whole face lit up and her eyes glittered. "It gets me out of them quicker though."

"You're good."

"Thanks."

"So," Jon gestured to the weapons around them, "can you use of these then? I noticed you were carrying a small armoury last night."

"Yeah. I have to." She spoke matter of factly.

"Why?"

"Princess of the Rogue and all that." She shrugged carelessly, "I'm a target. Lots of challengers for the Rogue throne try and use me as an advantage."

"I bet they get a surprise."

"They do." She agreed, plucking a throwing star from the rack and weighing it up in her hand. Nodding slightly she handed it to Jon, taking another for herself. "Do you want to try?" 

Jon smiled and took it from her, 

"Will you show me?" He asked simply, she would be far better at this than him. He was accepting this strangely easily, surprising himself. She smiled openly then turned and showed him.

They spent the morning like that, Alanna showed Jon how to knife fight and fight Shang style with a punch and a kick. In his turn he helped her sword fight. She rarely used that skill, not being able to conceal a sword as well as a dagger. She knew kata, but had virtually no practise against an adversary.

 He was behind her, hands clasping her own on the hilt of her spare sword, the other one having been ruined the night before, correcting her stance slightly as she tilted her head back to ask a question, then found her eyes locked with Jon's and her back pressed tightly against his chest. Hurriedly she broke away, Jon realising why she was uncomfortable, stepped back as well, dropping his sword point to the ground. Both were panting slightly.

"I ought to go back to the palace." Jon said as a way of dissolving the tension. He was slightly disappointed, they had been laughing and joking all morning. He and Alanna were soon becoming friends and he found he was enjoying her unique perspective. He was relieved when she pushed back her shielding curtain of hair and smiled up at him.

"I'll walk with you."

"Honestly, there's no need." Jon protested. "It's broad daylight." 

"Jon, those men who tried to kill you last night won't hide away because it's day." He nodded, conceding to her point.

"Very well fair lady I would be honoured if you accompanied me." She chuckled as he lifted his nose in the air and spoke in a snotty tone of voice. 

He usually spoke well, without the common brogue of the city. To Jon's interest Alanna spoke with only the faintest hint of that accent. He shook off the thought to ponder later.

"Shall we, Lady Alanna?" She curtsied mockingly, 

"We shall Prince Jonathan." 

Together, laughing they left the Dove as George, who had been watching the entire morning from a small high window, cursed.


	9. Chapter Seven, Treason

**Chapter Eight; Treason.**

****

Wow!!!! I have 100 reviews on this story!! I'm into triple figures. I am so happy. Thanks guys!

Jonathon was right; the journey to the palace was uneventful, but Alanna kept her crossbow ready all the same. The only problem the Prince and Alanna found was that it began to rain as they walked through the temple district. Laughing, together they ran the rest of the way, rain pelting down on them and feet splashing in puddles.

When they reached the gates of the palace they were waved through, with a few odd looks from the guardsmen, but they didn't question Jon's companion. They dived towards the stables; on an impulse Jon kicked water at Alanna. She shrieked slightly as the cold water hit her, but soon returned the favour. They circled each other slightly, then Alanna darted forward and kicked a spray of rainwater high into his face. As he spluttered she crept behind him and prepared to lunge and knock him down into a large pool of water. He heard her soft footfalls behind his though, and spun, catching her around the waist as she attacked. She fell slightly towards him and he steadied her,

"You do know it's treason to splash your future king?" he said softly. His tone was light and his brilliant blue eyes sparked at her. As he stared deep into her eyes her lips parted slightly as she felt her breath catch in her throat. Slowly his face lowered to hers, he was close enough to see the panic flash through her eyes as she lithely twisted out of his group.

"It's not if he started it." Alanna felt the blush creeping up her cheeks and she turned away from Jonathon to hide it. "I'm going to head back to the Dove. I'll see you soon. Not in Corus, I'll meet you when you least expect it." She smiled mysteriously, amethyst eyes laughing. She spun once more and walked down the road.

Jon didn't ask how she would get past the guards. He'd seen her at work enough to tell that she could have no problems concealing herself enough to get by them. Her rain darkened dress and hair blended her easily into the dark afternoon.

Alanna felt Jon's eyes boring into her back as she walked away, cursing herself for letting him get that close to her. She pulled her hood up over her distinctive hair, sheltering herself slightly from the rain. As she approached the guardhouse the rain began to lessen. She bent and picked up a stone. When she was near enough to get through easily she threw the stone as hard as she could away from her. All of the guards turned to look out of the opposite window to where she was standing. Quickly she vaulted over the gate and disappeared into the shadows of the trees, before any of the men could turn around and spot her.

As Jon watched Alanna go, Stephan the hostler walked out of his stables.

"I wouldn't get attached to yon, Highness. She's Rogue. Princess of t'Rogue. George's had more than one ear from men who tried to get 'er." 

"Oh." Jon turned to face the short, fair man. "What do you know about her?"

"Not much majesty. She turned up at the Dove five years ago now. All we know is what we've seen. She don't trust many. It took young Gareth and Raoul few months to get her to trust 'em." 

"Why haven't I met her before this?"

"George didn't want yeh to. He's protective like. She came back after curin' you. Yeh." He said, seeing the expression on Jon's face, "I know about that. She made us promise never t'tell you. She didn't come out of her room for days. It near killed her, she's never really been the same after that."

"I remember some of what happened when I was ill. But it's all so muddled," the Prince said thoughtfully, "Perhaps I can help her."

"Mebbe. Mebbe not." Stephan allowed, "But whatever you do, come in from th'rain. You're soaked." 

Still deep in thought, Jon walked into the court. He didn't see Stephan's face grow more worried behind him.

"She's a wild one young Prince." He said softly, "No one's tamed her yet."

Another chapter. Wow. Let me know what you think about the accent, I'm not sure I've got it right, so constructive criticism would be nice about that. And I would really like to thank everyone who has reviewed me and asked good questions and made excellent points. But I do have one little problem; please do not moan at me for updating enough! I update every week, at least one chapter, often more. I have work, a social life (believe it or not) and chores, as well as four stories on the go. So some sympathy for a poor overworked girl please!!! Also please try and write more than 'great. Update!' because I really have nothing to reply to that, except 'Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!'

**So come on, long reviews are always good for my imagination. **

**HuntressDiana.**

****

**P.S. As a reward for giving me over 100 reviews, here's another….**


	10. Chapter Eight, Disguises

**Chapter Nine; Disguises.**

And…. Here it is; my brand spanking new chapter where she meets Alex for the first time.

Alanna was true to her word. She showed up when Jon least expected it. He was sitting in Gary's room with the other knights, talking about the latest Lady at court who had her eye in winning the handsome Prince, when the door opened, and a serving girl entered to clean the grate. They didn't pay much attention to her, except to lower their voices as their topic of conversation changed to Alanna's whereabouts. Three weeks had passed since any of them had seen her. Alexander of Tirragen, the last of their group had never met her, but was intensely curious about Alanna, after hearing all their tales of her.

"I wonder why she hasn't come to see us. We usually see her about once a week." 

The girl finished clearing out the coals and stood up straight. She spoke softly.

"May be she was busy." As she turned around to face the men looking at her quizzically, she pulled her blond hair from her head, revealing coppery locks beneath. "You were worried about me? How sweet."

"Alanna!" The knights jumped to their feet.

"How did you get in here?" Alex said, hand on the hilt of his sword, wary of this girl who entered men's rooms without permission and in disguise. 

She pointed, deliberately misunderstanding him,

"Through the door."

"How often do you do this?" Raoul asked.

"Quite often, it's a good way of finding out what's going on in the Palace, to see if My Lord Provost has found anything out he shouldn't have. And to keep an eye on you." She smiled crookedly, "How are you anyway? What have you been up to recently?"

"Not much," Gary replied, "The usual training. You?"

"George said you were out of Corus for a while." Jon explained.

"I was at a funeral." Alanna's voice and face were totally devoid of all expression.

"Whose?" Alex wanted to know, "Your father?"

A sudden flare of anger flashed though her eyes before she spoke flatly once more,

"I don't have a father."

"Don't be silly." The dark knight spoke cuttingly, "Everyone has a father."

"I don't." Her voice was harsh. As Gary took a step towards her, inadvertently blocking the doorway her eyes flickered around the room like a caged animal, finally they alighted upon the window behind Jon. She placed a hand swiftly on the sill and jumped out. The knights all rushed to the window and watched her flee across the palace gardens, then mount a brown horse Stephan held for her.

"Wow." Alex breathed. "She's touchy isn't she?"

"I don't know." Jon said, "I think it might be something more than that."

I know it was kind of short, but I have the next chapter half typed so you should get that soon.

**Thanks again to all my reviewers. **

**Shout out for my favourite ones;**

Liaska

Forget-me-not

Punkrgrrl

karly-ann134

Princess Amara of Conte

Lady Knight Nick

Dracos Myth

Keita

Lady Moonsword

snowylove-angel

bubblegum*girl

Amberine

Chopstix* 

You guys rock! But so do all the other reviewers, I'm sorry I couldn't write you all here!****


	11. Chapter Nine, Moonlight relavations

**Chapter Ten; Moonlit revelations.**

****

**This is going to be angsty; you have been warned!!!**

"She's out there." The Rogue nodded his head at the window in Alanna's small room. Jon looked around the room; it was very sparsely decorated. Except for the clothes and hairbrush lying on the dresser it looked unlived in. A small chest sat next to the bed, half open, revealing weapons inside.

A figure sat on the next building's low roof, legs drawn up to her chest and head resting on her arms as she stared out across her city.

Jon clambered out the window and jumped across to the next roof.

"Thank you." He said to her back after he landed and straightened. A harsh laugh came from Alanna.

"For what? Running away?" Her voice was filled with self-loathing. "I never though I was a coward."

"You're not a coward." Jon laid a hand on her shoulder. "You're one of the bravest people I know. Not many people could take on four attackers at once, unarmed and win."

"That's not being brave. Being brave is conquering your fears, I'm not afraid of pain or death. And I ran away today, that's being a coward."

"You're not a coward." Jon said again, "and I meant thank you for saving me from the Sweating Sickness."

"So they told you about that then?"

"Yes, they told me. Why didn't you tell me that you healed me?" Alanna's shoulder moved under his palm as she sighed,

"What do you remember about it?"

"Not much. A lot of pain, purple fire, and something about your mother. It's all very vague."

"My mother gave me a choice. I could either take you from the Dark God, leaving her there or take her, leaving you. I chose to take you." Her shoulders shook a little as she bit back silent sobs. Jon gave her a few moments to compose herself.

"Then thank you again. That means you're a countess Alanna."

"What!"

"My father gave the fief of Silvereves to my healer. Duke Baird didn't tell us who it was so Myles has been looking after it for you." She stood abruptly.

"No!" she spun to face him, tears glistened on her cheeks. "I won't be a noble again." Jon too stood.

"Again? What do you mean you won't be a noble again?" Alanna paled and Jon trapped her, with a hand on each shoulder so she had to look at him.

"You better tell him lass. He'll find out eventually." Alanna nodded at George's comment and sank back down onto the tiles. Jon sat next to her, he watched her bite her lips until haltingly she began to speak, her voice hoarse with emotions.

"I was born Alanna of Trebond, a small fief to the North of here. My father hated me because I was a girl, even though I was better at riding and fencing than him. I tried to come to Corus, pretending to be boy, to become a knight, but I was caught and sent home. My father banished me, so I came here and George found me. You can guess the rest." By the end of her short speech Alanna's eyes were wet with unshed tears. "My mother died bearing us."

"Us?" Jon queried gently.

"My brother and me. He managed to do what he wanted to do. He's in the City of the Gods learning to be a sorcerer. He agreed with my father to save his own skin." Her breath hitched into a sob and she buried her face in her hands, all her long hidden anger, all the loss, the recent funeral and weariness catching up with her. Jon heard the door click shut as George left, giving them privacy.

Slowly he turned to face the crying girl and awkwardly swung an arm around her shoulders. They sat like that for a long time; Alanna crying her sorrows out onto Jon's shoulder.

Finally, after her shoulders had stopped shaking, she lifted her head slowly, not looking him in the eye.

"Sorry." She said softly, " I didn't mean to do that. I haven't cried like that for a long time."

Jon lifted her face with two fingers,

"Maybe you needed to. You need to cry to heal."

"I heal fine." She pulled her sleeve up to show a white scar on her upper arm. "I've broken three bones, been shot five times, stabbed twelve and attempted to be poisoned once."

"Wow." Jon whistled softly, "You have more assassination attempts than I do."

"I'm heir to the Court of the Rogue. Here in Corus and most other cities people pay more attention to George and me then your father. We are their rulers."

Jon nodded.

"So you're the bargaining piece then? That's why George is so protective of you?"

"Pretty much. He didn't want me to see you because I had nightmares for weeks after I healed you." Jon took her hand gently,

" I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. But talking of assassination attempts, you must be careful at the Palace Jon, and here in the city." She had turned to face him fully, legs curled under her body, hand holding his tightly. "Some one, perhaps the same person who is out to kill me and George, wants you dead.  Palace men and others have followed you into the city every time since Beltane. We've managed to distract them or pick them off, so they don't know where you come to."

"I've been followed?"

"Yes. Selket's men. He wants the Throne of the Rogue from George and he's doing everything he can to get it. Going against my Lord Provost's rules as well as ours. They were the men who attacked you in the alley."

"Why are they after me?" 

Alanna sighed, 

"I don't know. He's either got bigger plans than we know of, or he's someone's accomplice."

"Any ideas who he's helping?"

"Not that you'll want to hear." She said pulling him to his feet as she did so. It was only then that he noticed she was wearing breeches and a shirt again.

"Are you going to stay here tonight," Alanna wanted to know, "Or do you want to go back up to the Palace?"

"What time is it?" She glanced at the sky, estimating the time by the position of the moon.

"About two o'clock I think." She looked up at his face, "We a have a spare room if you want to stay." Jon grinned down at her; her head was only just in line with his shoulders, 

"I'll stay then. It's too late to go back now."

"Plus I'd have to go with you." Jon nodded and climbed up the slanting roof and jumped the gap, giving Alanna his hand to help her climb through the window. She completely ignored it and clambered through on her own. He shrugged and withdrew his hand, and let her quietly show him to a small room down the hall from her own. Wordlessly she pushed the well-oiled door to behind herself and began to make up his bed.

"Thanks Jon, for letting me get all that off my chest." She spoke in an undertone, half to him and half to the mattress,

"No problem. I'm honoured you trusted me enough to tell me everything." She threw a pillow to the head of his bed, and then moved towards the door.

"I'll wake you early in morning we can train together, then get you back to the palace." Jon nodded in agreement then bent slightly and kissed her forehead.

"Good night Lady Alanna." She flushed and stepped back into the passage

"Good night Highness." He watched her as she slipped soundlessly down the corridor, flashing him a quick smile as she went into her own room.

While Jon rested a few rooms from hers, Alanna sat on her bed and stared out the window. She dropped her head into her hands as she thought. She wasn't sure about what was happening, a feeling she resented greatly. She had spent a long time building up her defensive walls, letting no one apart from George through. She had always been so sure of her place, of what she was going to do next, but now… Her walls were cracking and she did not like it at all. With a sigh she rolled over on her stomach and with difficulty, thought roiling through her mind, she slept, the moonlight making her look pale and ghostly.


	12. Chapter Ten, Rude awakening

****

Chapter Eleven; Rude Awakening.

This one is in thanks for **hyperchick88****'s great review!**

"Get up!" A hand violently shook his shoulder. He flailed it away and rolled over in the bed. "I'll pour water over you if you don't." 

Jon shot upward in the bed as something very cold and wet was poured over his head. He glared at the laughing Alanna, who looked annoyingly fresh and alert.

"Well I warned you." She raised another pitcher full of liquid and he snatched it from her hand. "Don't throw that. " She cautioned, "It's fruit juice." She then handed him a roll and fruit. "I'll meet you outside in ten minutes." He shook his wet head at her in exasperated amusement as she left the room, still laughing.

Amazingly he was outside in ten minutes, holding his sword. She was already in the training yard, doing her stretching exercises. He laid his sword beside hers in a corner and silently joined her. 

Soon though, the courtyard rang with the clash of their blade. Alanna had said that they would only use their swords, ruling out her own immediate advantage against him. Although Jon was far better trained and taller than Alanna, he soon found that she was no easy opponent. He discovered that her speed alone made her a formidable fighter and he found it hard to land a blow on her. But she was also unusual in her attacks and blocks, using moves that were entirely new to Jon. She used her smallness to slip around his attacks and to duck under his defences and attacks and turn them against him. They battled backwards and forwards until Jon managed to twist her blade from her hand. She smiled ruefully. 

"It's been a long time since some one beat me." He rested the point of his sword in the tightly packed dirt and leaned on it. They were both sweaty and panting.

"I can see why. You're very good." 

"Thanks." She bent down to pick up her sword, examining it for damage, "Can you show me that twist you did?" Before Jon could move to show her, Alanna spun as a voice came from behind her.

"You're still weaker on your left side Kitten. Your scar still hurting you?" While Jon held his sword ready to repel an attack, Alanna threw hers to the ground and flung herself at the stranger.

"Liam!" The man clasped her around the waist and swung her around. After they had calmed down somewhat he placed her back on the ground and she rose on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. 

"Ironarm!" She exclaimed, "Where have you been?"

"Galla mostly." The stranger was deeply tanned and his eyes were the shifting blue-green of the Inland Sea. His hand clutched Alanna's own and she did not seem to be objecting in the least. His hair was darker than Alanna's but still bright red. His nose was crooked, as if it had been broken several times before. To Jon's surprise the man wore no weapon, most wore at least a dagger in the city. His accent was that of a commoner and his hands were callused from hard work.

Jonathon cleared his throat, disturbing the two from their animated conversation. As she heard him, Alanna stepped back slightly,

"Sorry." She apologised, "Jon, this is Liam Ironarm, the Shang Dragon. Liam, Prince Jonathon of Conté."

"Honoured to meet you." Liam bowed.

"You're the Shang Dragon?"

"He is. He taught me Shang for three years before leaving for parts unknown." Liam tweaked her nose.

"I see you've been practising Kitten. Let's see what you can do." Alanna nodded eagerly

"Do you mind Jon?"

"No. Go ahead, I'll watch you." Jonathon moved to the side as the two began circling each other. Liam threw the first blow, which Alanna easily knocked aside. That made Jon suck in a breath, the punch had been very fast and very hard and Alanna had simply swatted it away. His respect for her increased further. She returned her own punch as soon as his was deflected. Jon watched as the two spun, kicked and punched in a blur of movement. They moved in a dazzling sequence of a deadly choreography that would take a grown man down in two seconds if he were ever foolish enough to take them on. 

Alanna fell out of the fight, winded by a partially blocked kick to her midsection. She rolled to her feet effortlessly, laughing.

"I'll never best you Liam."

"You've learned some new tricks though Alanna." Jon tossed both combatants a skin of water, they caught them and drank gratefully.

"I have to go back to the Palace now." Jon said, breaking the silence, "Before they being to worry."

As Alanna opened her mouth, Liam stepped in smoothly.

"I'll walk with you up there Prince, if you wish."

"Thank. Although there is no need, I can go alone." Alanna nudged him gently.

"There is need. I suppose George told you everything then?" Liam nodded.

The two men walked out of the training yard and through the quiet inn. Alanna followed but broke away as they walked out the door, to go to her room.

The two walked up the main street in silence, until they reached the peaceful temple district, then in its turn the palace road. When they reached the gates Liam turned to the Prince.

"Don't hurt her."

"I won't!" He exclaimed, blue eyes flashing, "Why does everyone think I am going to hurt her?"

Liam's eyes were now a deep green, serious,

"Because you care for her. And she cares for you too. That terrifies her. She's not let any man close to her heart since she came to Corus and who knows how long before that, except maybe George and myself, but she is still afraid of getting hurt once more."

"Why isn't she afraid of you hurting her? Or George?"

"She does. But to a lesser degree, because George is like her father and I am like her brother. Mithros knows we are better to her than her own father and brother. But you," Liam shook his head, "You've got past her defences. Do I guess right that's she's told you about her past?" He saw the agreement in Jon's face before he could speak, "She worried that you are going to hurt her. Don't." Jon laid his hand on the older man's shoulder.

" I would never do anything to hurt her Dragon."

"Good."

The Shang warrior bowed, then turned and walked off down the long road.

Unnoticed by either of the men, a shadow slipped away along the high palace wall.

****

So? What do you think. Let me know!


	13. Chapter Eleven, City life

**Chapter Twelve; City Life.**

**I am in such a good mood tonight I have updated when I didn't mean to. So thank S-Star for that!**

**This is for you chica! Thanks for everything!**

Alongside his friends Jon was introduced my Alanna to the underbelly of Corus. He learned how to play cards with the thieves and how to pick a lock. He discovered what went on in the city, the laws that governed the Rogues and commoners. He learned how to knock someone out who attacked him in an instant. Liam took him under his arm, at Alanna's request. The Shang Dragon taught him the basics of unarmed self defence, along with the other knights.

Alanna had opened up more since she had told him about her past. She came up to the palace to join her new friends when ever they trained.

On this autumn evening there were in the Dove once more, laughing as 'Fingers, the inn's resident drunk persuaded Nell, a flower girl to dance with him. Some men pulled out dusty instruments from a cupboard and struck up a lively tune. At that moment Alanna left the kitchen, carrying two bowls of stew and tankards. She expertly wove her way past 'Fingers.

"Still at it 'Fingers? Leave him be Nell," She advised, "He's drunk early tonight." She set the food down on a corner table where a thief and his lady sat. Alanna then made her way to the Knights' table and sank into the empty chair beside Jon.

"It's busy tonight." Gary observed.

"Yeah." She leaned back and fanned herself with her hand. "I haven't sat down all night."

Alex spoke from the shadows in the corner where he was quietly sipping at his tankard.

"Lightfingers has had one too many I see." She nodded.

"He was drunk when he came in, and Nell isn't helping, encouraging him to dance." She laughed quietly, "better her than me though."

"You don't dance?" Jon asked.

"Not when I don't have to." She said firmly. Jon looked across the table to Gary and Raoul, the smiles twitching around their mouths told him that they knew exactly what he had in mind. As Alex distracted her with questions, Jonathon nodded and the three men pulled or pushed her out of her chair and herded her onto the dance floor. Everyone's attention turned to them as she shook her head in refusal.

"Oh no. No you don't." Jon caught her hands and spun her around. "You've had too much to drink as well!" She accused.

"No." Alex drained the rest of his ale and stood from his chair with his customary catlike grace. "He's sober." 

Liam called out from his chair by the hearth.

"Go on Princess, or are you too afraid."

"I'm not afraid."

"So prove it." he challenged. She shook her head laughingly at him.

"No Ironarm. You won't trick me that way again."

"Come on gal!" 'Fingers swayed up to her, "I'll dance with yeh." She smiled and pushed him back into Nell's open arms. Beseechingly she looked at Rispah.

"Don't look at me like that girl. You're on yer own there, I'm far too tired to dance." The men began a slow handclap as the music started up again.

"There's no way out of this for me is there?" She looked pleadingly up at the circle of young men.

"No!" Raoul said cheerfully. "So you'd better just grin and bear it." 

She grimaced at him, 

"Please?"

"No." A couple of  the Rogue girls came up to them, Alanna swiftly introduced them to the boys, The blond haired girl beside Gary was Rosetta, the tall brunette was Lucy, who stood next to Raoul and the chesty blonde called Marion joined Alex. Alanna herself felt Jon take her hand. 

The young couples laughed at the sight of all the Court gathering around in a circle, a large area now cleared of chairs and tables. 

Gary and Rosetta were the first to begin dancing, but the others soon followed. Alanna pulled on one of Jon's hands, placing it on her hip, as she raised her other hand, still holding on to his, and curved it above their heads. She looked up into his face and smirked,

"You forced me into this. You have to lead."

"I don't know the steps." He protested.

"Who says I do?" She replied tartly. Jon laughed and looked around at the other couples before slowly turning her so they walked around in a slow circle together.

The music changed to a faster beat. She grinned up at him and brought their hands down as she turned, crossing his hands at her waist, before releasing one and whirling out.

Jonathon soon got the hang of the dance. It was nowhere near as complicated as some of the court dances were. Slowly, more and more couples joined them on the floor as the dance sped up, the partners spinning and interweaving between each other at a rapid pace. As the music finally came to an end the young people sat down on their chairs, the other girls perching on the table.

"I really hate you lot." Alanna said, mock glaring at them all. Lucy flicked the redhead's hair.

"You're a good dancer 'Lanna. Why'd you hide it?"

"It's too courtlike for our Princess." Rosetta teased. Alanna nodded seriously, exchanging a glance with Jonathon.

"That could be one reason." She said. "The other reason would be that I can never remember all the steps."

"Neither can I." Raoul confessed, "I hide away in a corner during balls." Alanna laughed as she imagined the big knight hiding behind a curtain.

"We do court here at the Rogue." Marion said. "But we don't get the flowery language or the poetry." after she said this, Gary immediately knelt before her and began reciting a horrible love poem that had them all in stitches with laughter. Gary however, looked around at them, bewildered.

"What?"

"That..." Alanna choked out from her doubled over position, "was some of the worst poetry I have ever heard."

"It was sweet though." Marion said to the Duke Gareth's son, "a good effort." Gary levered himself up from the floor.

"Thank you fair lady." She blushed, but let him take her hand.

Jon noticed Alanna was looking over Raoul's head, a scowl on her face.

"What is it?" He asked quietly, as the others remained oblivious to the mounting tension. She turned to look at him, face showing her anger.

"We've got trouble."


	14. Chapter Twelve, Bad Rogue

**Chapter Thirteen; Bad Rogue.**

**Well, you've given me my 200 reviews, thank you so much for that every one!! Here is your reward- some very important chapters!!!**

****

Alanna stood, feeling the entire court going silent. Her face was tight with rage. Her own table was tense, the knights lying a hand on their daggers. She spoke quietly over her shoulder.

"Marion; get George. Lucy: get all of us you can find. Rosetta: weapons. Get crossbows upstairs." She knew the three girls slipped away to do her bidding without looking. She now turned to the nobles and spoke earnestly to them,

"Don't do anything." She ordered. Before Jon could object against being given orders, she continued. "These are the men who are out to kill you. Raoul and Gary." they nodded, understanding what her command was going to say before she said it, "Guard him." 

She then turned to face the entering threat, slipping a dagger from the sheath inside her sleeve.

A tall man had entered the Dove, one of his companions held old Solom, the doorkeeper tightly around the neck. The intruder was fair haired and swarthy. A scar ran along his left cheek.

Alanna approached him purposefully, faithful Rogues gathering at her back; Marek, Ercole, Scholar, Orem, Shem and Lightfingers, suddenly sober.

"Selket!" Her voice was harsh and commanding. "Why are you here? I thought our last meeting and my warning were perfectly clear." She traced her own, unblemished cheek, looking pointedly at his scarred one.

"What can I say?" His voice was low and grated roughly, "The company here is just so charming."

"It just got worse." Marek muttered under his breath. 

"Let Solom go." She instructed, carefully modulating her voice while she knew her eyes were flashing dangerously. She had found that a lack of emotions was often more scary to her opponents than obvious anger. "You deal with me and your King, not our followers. And I am tired of having assassins sent after me. How many now have been sent back to you with one ear missing?  They add to George's collection nicely."

"Aye. That they do." Selket started as the thief King's voice came from beside him. "Good to see me lass has control here. Get outta here Selket. No fighting at the Dove. Or if there is; you won't be on the winning side." At his signal a row of crossbows were primed on Selket's men's chests. Alanna drew a throwing star and brandished her dagger.

"Leave now Selket." George ordered. "Only come back when you are willing to follow Rogue's law and challenge me properly." When the other man hesitated, even as his cronies released Solom and left, Alanna released the throwing star. It flew past his ear, taking a lock of hair with it, and imbedded itself deeply in the doorframe.

"He said go." Her voice would have frozen blood. With a hurried curse flung in her direction Selket fled the inn. 

Old Solom fell to his knees before George.

"Majesty, I'm sorry. They sneaked up on me. He's the Gift, I swear it." 

George laid a hand on the older man's shoulder

"Don't worry, we'll post a heavier watch from now on."

Alanna returned from the outer door.

"No sign of them." She reported, "but horses were heading south."

George nodded and she sheathed her dagger. The rest followed her example and sat once more. George took his throne at the largest table, next to where the knights sat. Grimly he beckoned his most loyal followers around him as Alanna came back to their table.

"That," She said with disgust, "was Selket. Watch out for him. He's after more than just the Rogue."

"Did you really give him that scar?" Raoul asked. She nodded,

"He made the mistake of attacking me himself once.  He'll have that to remind him that trying to stab a girl in the back in a dark alley isn't the best idea. Especially when that girl is me." She turned to Jon. "We better get you back to the Palace, and for Mithros' sake we must be careful. Remember what I told you." As a pair of hands landed on her shoulders she turned to face Liam, "Will you come with us Ironarm?"

"Certainly. You handled that very well if I may say so."

"You were ready to attack all the time weren't you?" Alanna quickly introduced him to Gary and Raoul as they prepared to set off. Alanna pulled her hood up to conceal her bright hair as they stepped outside. Only Liam was unarmed, Alanna carried a crossbow openly and several other hidden weapons. Each of the knights had their hands on the hilt of their sword, ready to draw their weapons at a moment's notice.

The group avoided narrow alleyways, sticking to the main streets whenever possible. The streets were strangely deserted, the people of Corus had obviously heard about the confrontation at the Dove and were staying firmly behind their locked doors.

Suddenly Alanna felt a great weight land on her, a hand holding her head firmly to the cobbles. Instinctively she struggled until the Dragon's voice hissed in her ear.

"Lie still." Obediently she did so until  he released her. Immediately she rolled to her feet, seeing Jonathon doing the same thing. Two arrows lay in the road beside them and more whistled through the air towards them. Leaving the others to guard the Prince she looked wildly around for the archers. She spotted them, three men across the street on the roof of a building. Alanna swung the crossbow up to bear, they were well within her one hundred and fifty yard range, aimed and released the bolt. One man fell to the ground and lay there, immobile. She redrew the string as she dodged an arrow from one of the remaining men, nocked the quarrel and shot again. Within half a minute the three assassins lay dead. Raoul and Gary began to walk towards the bodies, but she stopped them with an outstretched hand, her eyes wary and alert.

"There are more coming." A group of men exited an alley, lead by the scarred Selket.

"You again." Alanna stepped forward, followed closely by Liam and the nobles' drawn swords.

"Aye majesty. Me." He stepped into Alanna's face and ran two fingers down her cheek. "Yeh're a pretty lass really." Alanna felt the men tense at her back as the others in front of her laughed. She lowered the bow, and waited for him to step closer. As soon as he did so, she spun and kicked him across the face. 

Her dress had carefully concealed slits up the side to mid thigh which enabled her to fight Shang style easily. As he fell to the floor, the men attacked her companions. Liam took on at least four at once. Alanna cut one down with a backward slash of her dagger. She glanced over her shoulder, the knights were holding their own easily, Gary stood at his cousin's right while Raoul guarded Jon's left. She smiled grimly as she moved among the traitors, cutting them down like corn at harvest time. As the last remaining saw the Shang Dragon and his pupil advancing on him he turned and fled.  He stooped as he jumped across the body of one of his comrades. he turned and screamed out a last defiance as an arrow flew towards them. It sank deep into Alanna's upper arm. She cursed violently, shakily, as her friends rushed to her side, she drew the arrow out of her bicep and with an unsteady arm, placed the bloodied bolt in the crossbow and sighted. The arrow flew true and the man fell.

Alanna strode across each body, pushing it over with her foot. When she had examined the last one she let loose a violent stream of curses that would have made the coarsest guardsman proud. She kicked the last assassin's body and turned to the others, fingers tightly clenched over her wound.

"He's not here. Selket got away." She finally submitted to strips of cloth being wrapped around her arm, then collected her used bolts and, ignoring the men's protests, she led the way to the palace. She and Liam bade the young men goodnight at the door to the palace. 

On their return to the Dove they saw a grand carriage pull up to the stables, and a tall man got out, hair almost as black as Jonathon's, and with the same piercing blue eyes.


	15. Chapter Thirteen The Conte Duke

**Chapter Fourteen; the Conté Duke.**

****

"Who is that?" Liam gestured at the stranger as Alanna ducked out of sight, into the shadows.

"Duke Roger of Conté."

They slipped away as the man swept up into the palace, leaving Stephen and the other hostlers to calm the sweating horses. Servants scurried around unloading the trunks from the carriage.

"And it looks like he's here for a long time." A grim smile crept across her lips. "We'll have to keep an eye on him, won't we?"

"And how are you going to do that Kitten?"

"I guess the Prince has just got himself a new maid. What worries me is that he is totally oblivious to his danger."

"So why don't you tell him?"

"Why would he trust me over his own cousin?" she scoffed.

"He trusts you as well." Liam turned her to face him, "Don't tell me you are still renouncing love before you've tried it." 

She pushed his hands away gently and continued walking, talking to him over her shoulder.

"You know how I feel about that Liam. I loved my father and brother and they betrayed me. Why should I want to trust love again?"

"Maybe it's not what you think. Maybe your brother misses you." Liam followed the girl, his longer legs easily eating up the distance between them.

"He doesn't look like it. He's almost got his Mastery now. I saw him at the funeral. He was totally oblivious to me. We used to be able to sense when the other one was near. Now it's as if he thinks I don't exist anymore."

"Were you in disguise though?" He asked quietly. She nodded as he drew alongside her.

"Of course, I used a glamour. There aren't enough violet eyed redheads around to miss an inquisitive person's notice. So I was a blond. I kept my hood up to hide my eyes."

"Do you miss him?" 

"Who? Lord Alan or Thom? I should really miss both of them, but George is more like a father to me than he ever was. But I do miss Thom. Not so much now as I did at first, but I still can't believe he would let Lord Alan banish me." Alanna shrugged, "But he obviously did, so that's the end of it."

The Dragon took the hint and changed the subject slightly.

"So you'll be moving up to the palace then?"

"Possibly. If I can persuade Jon that he needs protection."

"If anyone can do it, you can. If not by persuading him, then by annoying him until he gives in."

"Hey!" She whacked him lightly on the arm

"Don't hit your teacher Kitten, he might fight back."

"Will he now?" She asked archly. "Will he also stay in Corus for a while longer to help his student now the Conté Duke is here?" 

Liam laughed and swung an arm around his charge's shoulders.

"He will Alanna, he will."


	16. Chapter Fourteen, Servitude

**Chapter fifteen; Servitude.**

****

"There is no need for you to do this Alanna!"  Gary, Raoul and Alex grinned at each other. They had seen many such arguments between Jon and the stubborn Princess of the Rogue

"There is need. Trust me." She stood in the middle of Jon's room, hand on her hips as the other knights lolled on the couch and chair, and Jon sat on the edge of the bed.

"I do trust you." He spoke patiently, as if to a small child, "But how can I be hurt  here at the Palace? I'm surrounded by knights and guards."

She raised a sceptical eyebrow at him.

"And you mean to tell me that you are with them all the time?"

"No, but..."

"Can they, "She gestured at the amused knights, "protect you all the time?"

"Could you?" he asked, standing up and wandering over to the window.

"More easily yes. I know, or have very strong suspicions who is trying to kill you."

"Why wont you tell us?" Alex asked, "So we can help protect Jon from them as well."

"Because I don't think you'll believe me." Alanna sighed, "Look Jon, I don't want you to die. I have few enough friends as it is without losing more. So please, just met me stay. He wont expect a girl to be able to fight, so if you are attacked we'll have an advantage."

"Aren't you worried about Selket attacking at the Dove?" Jonathon said, turning to face her.

"Liam's there. And Stephan has messenger birds I can use if need be." 

He sighed, giving in.

"Very well." She smiled,

"Good. I'll come back tonight. I'll have to use a glamour while I'm here. What colour hair should I have?"

"Brown." Gary suggested

"Okay. I'll see you tonight." As the door shut behind her, Raoul remarked,

"I wonder what has her so worried about you Jon."

"Or who." Jon added darkly.

"What ever it is, it must be really serious for her to want to move into the palace." Gary said.

"Why wouldn't she tell us who she suspects though" Alex asked.

"She doesn't think we trust her enough." Jon said. "All the same, this is going to make things a lot more interesting around here, what with Roger just arriving as well."

"You don't think..." Raoul began,

"Of course not. Why would she think anything bad of Roger? He has no reason to hurt me." Jon protested.

Alex spoke quietly, but firmly in a tone which left them all serious and thoughtful.

"Nothing, except the throne."


	17. Chapter Fifteen, Preparation

**Chapter Sixteen; Preparation.**

****

Before she went to the palace Alanna had several loose ends to tie up. She went, along with George's mother Eleni Cooper and Rispah, to the Great Market where she bought a set of plain dresses. Her whole intention was to blend in at the palace so she could do some sneaking around in her own time. 

Before exchanging her men's gear for a dress she went down into the main rooms of the Dancing Dove and talked with George and Liam.

"I don't like it Lass. The Duke's tricky."

"But George, he won't expect an attack from a girl, much less a common one." Liam nodded at her words, although his eyes had turned a deep grey-green from worry. George shook his head, still unsure.

Alanna glanced around their table. Most of the thieves were still out, doing their business, the few remaining sat either around the fire or at the bar, minding their own business. George sat in his huge chair with Liam to his right and Alanna on his left. He ran his fingers along the grain of the wood, worn away by arms and tankards of ale. Alanna lowered her voice and leaned in towards the thief king, elbows resting on the table.

"This is regicide we're talking about here. King killers. This isn't a petty noble fight. Do you really want the Conté Duke to take the throne if King Roald and Jon die? You asked me that once."

He pushed his chair back from the table, grinning wryly.

"Caught by me own words." He stood and stroked her hair lightly.

"Be careful Alanna, and fare well." She too got up.

"Always am." She smiled gently at the two men then walked up the staircase to her room.

When she reached it, she pulled off her breeches and shirt then pulled on the loose blouse and long fawn coloured skirt. A corset went over the top and laced up tightly down the front. Rispah had altered the clothes to allow her to move easily and to conceal weapons. The skirt had strategically placed slits and dagger sheaths and been attached to the waistband. The stays of the corset concealed more blades. She ran a brush through her curls before sitting in front of her mirror. Alanna stared into the eyes of her reflection and began to chant the verses for the illusion spell, focusing her mind on how she would look with long brown hair. She felt the fire of her magic enlarging from the small ball in her chest, flowing through her body, changing her appearance swiftly.

She reopened her eyes to alight on a brunette girl with startling purple eyes. She sighed slightly, that had been the one thing she could never change.

She pulled her hair back into a knot and pulled her boots on underneath the full skirt. She armed herself and then picked up her saddlebag and left by the window. She had never been one for goodbyes, she always tried to slip away quietly. Alanna almost managed it this time. The front door of the inn opened as she mounted her golden mare. The two men standing there watched as she rode of down the narrow street.

"She'll be all right Cooper." Liam laid a hand on the other man's shoulder.

"I know Dragon."

"You trained her well, the Duke Roger doesn't suspect her at all, and she's prepared for anything."

"I know. It's just hard to see her riding off to court, even just as a maid."

"She is still a noble George, shell have to announce it someday."

"Aye. And I live in fear of that day."

"We all do my friend, we all do."


	18. Chapter Sixteen, Ambush

**Chapter Seventeen; Ambush.**

****

**Well, thanks to you all for your lovely reviews, they are great. I have been asked several times now whether U have any ideas for a story set in 'the Immortals' time. Although I am flattered that you think highly enough of my meagre talents at writing to ask, at the moment I don't. That is not to say that I wont come up with one, but at the moment I have four stories up here; two Alanna ones, a 'Lord of the Rings' continuation and a 'the Dark is Rising' story. I am also writing a 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' series, which I will post after I have finished one of the aforementioned ones, and ideas for a 'Legendeer triology' story. So as you can see I am rather busy, what with work, beta-ing and having a social life as well (no smirking S_star, I know it's because of you). But if you are intrested in me giving you the plotlines of any of the above mentioned stories, even those not published yet,  I can do so in authors notes or in private emails. Let me know at Dianahunters@yahoo.co.uk or in a review. I love hearing from you all.**

**Apologies by the way for the huge authors note, but you have to hear from me sometimes I suppose…**

**HuntressDiana.**

**Xxx**

****

Alanna herself trotted along, soothing the mare beneath her as a harsh wind whipped up.

"Mithros! I hate the winter." She pulled her cloak tighter around her. It was times like this that she wished she lived in the Great Southern Desert instead of here in Corus, it was far warmer there. She loathed the cold and the wet, and she didn't like exposing her faithful mare to such conditions either.

A footstep rang on the cobbles behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see what had caused the noise. Alanna grinned ferally  as she saw three men approaching her from behind. She spurred Moonlight into a faster canter, whilst retrieving her bow from her bag and stringing it under cover of her cloak. Steering Moonlight only with her knees, Alanna wheeled her, drawing her bow to her ear and aiming for the man in the lead. When the men realised she knew they were there and that she was ready to fight them, they began to run towards her, abandoning caution, and unsheathing daggers and swords Alanna loosed her arrow and the first man fell. As they drew closer she shot another man, then dropped her bow onto the saddle in front of her, and drew her own sword. A hand reached for Moonlight's bridle. The mare rose high on her hind legs and dealt the man a solid blow on the side of the head. Alanna smiled grimly and patted her mount's neck. As she came back down to all fours, Alanna stood in the stirrups.

"Come on then!" Her blade gleamed dully in the night. As one man slashed at her leg she swerved Moonlight out the way, then cut him down with a single blow. A flare of pain streaking down her left arm alerted her to a man on her other side. She didn't have time to inspect her wound. Her new opponent was a large man, fair skinned, but with a scarred face. He grabbed her heel to try and pull her from the saddle. She struggled to shake him loose, then, knocking his hand away, sending his dagger flying, plunged her blade deep into his shoulder. He screamed out in pain and she kicked him away as his grip slackened. And with the backslash of the same stroke she cut across his neck. He fell to the ground, hands going to his throat. The last man threw a dagger at her, then turned to flee. She avoided the blade and urged Moonlight to follow him. In his haste, turning to see what she was doing, he stumbled and fell over the body of one of his dead accomplices. Alanna jumped off her horse's back and laid her sword tip in the hollow of his throat.

"who sent you?" he voice shook with restrained anger. "What did they tell you?"

"You're a killer! We were never told you were a killer. He just said get the girl and you'll get your gold." She pushed the blade closer, nicking the skin on his neck.

"Who sent you?" The man's mouth opened to reply, but instead he found himself choking and gasping for breath. "Tell me!" A droplet of blood appeared at the side of his mouth, and was soon joined by more. As he collapsed on his face in the road, she cursed, hearing his last breath shuddering from his soaked lungs.

"Great!" Alanna looked around to see if any of the other would be assassins were still alive. With another muttered curse she found that she had done her work too well. They were all dead. She bent and cleaned her sword on one man's tunic, then remounted her mare.

"Let's go girl. Remind me to tell Jon that the total number of assassination attempts is now twenty." Moonlight whinnied and set off at a grateful trot, eager to rid her nose of the metallic stench of death that surrounded her and her mistress so much recently.

Her mistress patted her neck and gave her control of their direction as she inspected her own wound. It was nothing serious, the blade had barely cut into the muscle. She would bind it up when she reached the palace.

I could have left you on a cliffhanger there, so I was quite nice to you. Show how much you appriciate that by giving me lots of reviews. By the way, I have now decided the ending to this… There. A mini cliffhanger. That's me happy as well as you.

Review me!!! I want lot of reviews!! Remember, the more reviews I get the more rewards I have to give you! I have to give three, fairly long, chapters for the next reward.__


	19. Chapter Seventeen, Rogue's law

**Chapter Eighteen; Rogue's law.**

Alanna left Moonlight with Stephan and after a short conversation he went back to the stables to send a messenger bird to George with news of the attack. Alanna herself slipped up through the darkened gardens to enter the servants' way. She moved along the passageways, greeted silently, but with great respect, by those linked to the Rogue. 

At last she came to the Prince's chambers and knocked.

"Come in!" She heard Jon's voice clear and commanding through the thick wood. She opened the door and the muffled voices cleared. She dropped her bags by the door. Alanna closed it behind her and locked it. She then let the Glamour fall, revealing her coppery hair.

"Alanna!" Raoul exclaimed with relief. "We've been waiting for you."

"Sorry. I had a few problems on the way here." 

Gary nodded, 

"We noticed." He pointed to her arm and forehead. Gingerly, she touched her forehead, it was wet and slightly sticky along her right temple.

"Mithros!" She glanced around the room. "Is there anywhere I can clean up?" Jonathon gestured towards another door set in the wall. 

"Your room is through there. There is a washroom as well."

"Thanks. Give me a minute to change and tie this up."

Alanna emerged a few minutes later, dressed in a clean skirt and blouse. She had wiped her forehead wound and held a bandage in one hand. She rolled up her sleeve up, exposing the wound.

"Can one of you wrap this for me? I can't reach properly." She placed a folded cloth on the still bleeding cut.

Jon stood from his bed and skillfully wrapped the bandage tight around her upper arm. When he had finished she thanked him and pulled her sleeve down to cover the cloth.

She looked seriously around at the group of young men, and they all sat upright as they realized she was going to tell them more about the plot against Jon. She did not disappoint,

"While I am in here, or whenever we are alone and no one can possibly see us, I'll let the glamour down. While I'm wearing it though, call me..." She cast about for a name, "Lienna."

"Wont the magic wear you out?" Gary asked. "It must use up a lot of your Gift."

"It uses quite a bit," Alanna acknowledged, "but I have built up a large reserve over the years. And I'll let it down when I go into Corus or when I am in my room." She shrugged, "I have a few wigs with me if I get tired."

"You have come prepared haven't you?" Raoul said admiringly.

"I try." She moved between them to sit on the bed. "Has anything happened recently that I should know about?"

"And don't already you mean." She grinned back at Jonathon.

"I have good spies."

"Are you one of them?" He asked. Her slightly guilty expression gave her away. "We'll have to be more careful of what we say in the corridors." Jon joked.

"Not just in the corridors. Watch what you say to each other in your rooms as well." Alanna warned. "Not all your servants are honest rogues. You saw how easily I got in here without you noticing." She started to say something more, then checked herself, "Are there listening guards in here?" 

Jon nodded, "The palace mages warded all my rooms." 

She smiled, "Just to be sure though..." Balls of purple fire shot from her open hands to each corner of the room. At a word from Alanna, the fire spread to become a film of sparkling violet covering all the walls. "Now I know we can talk safely. Don't trust anyone else when you don't have to." 

The men exchanged a look at her world weary attitude, but none laughed. Something had made her this way, and none of them knew what. She broke them from their thoughts once more, "I will always be here, or near where you are. I can hide myself, both magically and normally, easily, so don't worry about me."

"This is really serious isn't it?" Alex spoke from his chair in the corner.

"Yes. This is very serious. I've broken Rogue's law by even telling you about Selket. But my Lord Provost is taking too much notice of us now because of all the bodies this war is producing."

"What is 'Rogue's law'?" Gary asked, "George mentioned it at the Dancing Dove."

"Basically, you don't betray other Rogues to Lord Provost, and you don't attack people not linked to the Rogue for your own gain in the Court."

"What happens if you break Rogue's law?"

"Nothing good. You die, very slowly. You're meant to die after three days, the last traitor lasted six."

"Did he attack you or something?" Alex queried,

"Yes. He stabbed me here." She laid her hand on her left side. "He hired mercenaries to try and kill George. I... got in the way. He thought killing George and me would secure him the throne. He didn't count on me being able to fight as well as I could.

"You've risked a lot telling us this haven't you?" Jon asked

"Yes. And I would feel so much better if I could have killed Selket in a fair battle. He's never given me a proper chance though." She sighed, "I wish that he would obey our laws, then he would challenge George and have it over and done with." She stood and walked towards them, fingering her knife. "I'm ready for him if he does."****

**Well, there it was, a fairly short chapter I know, but we are winding up to the most important part of the story... Thanks to all who expressed their outrage at the plagiarism issue I found. **

**HuntressDiana.**


	20. Chapter Eighteen Espionage

**I hope this chapter is long enough for you ****Shinigami Clara. And a word of thanks here to the great Sunny1388 who has done such great things for my awards. I can never say enough praise to this girl. I hope to see you all there when it opens so you can praise her work. Rock on girl!**

** Should be up soon guys. It's not too late to help with judging and doing a couple pictures!!!******

****

****

**Chapter Nineteen; Espionage.**

 Alanna walked down the corridor from the kitchens, in her arms she carried a full tray and a royal blue tunic. She balanced the tray on her knee and knocked on Jonathon's door.

"My Lord? Are you decent?"

"Come on in."

She pushed open the door with her foot, Jon sat on the edge of his bed, pulling on his boots.

"Alanna. You didn't have to bring that. I usually eat in the hall."

"I know, but it is easier for me to conceal myself if I am seen doing chores befitting his highness' new maid. So here is your tunic, nice and clean. And your breakfast." Jon accepted the tunic with a rueful grin.

"I thought you said most of the servants at the palace know you anyway." he pointed out to her,

"They have seen me around the palace before, when I came to collect any news. They either know me from the Rogue, or they think I am a relief maid." She sat down opposite Jon as he moved across to sit at a table. "I say nothing to draw any attention to me unnecessarily. And most nobles ignore the servants completely, unless they want something. But that just makes it easier. I use their conceit against them." 

"You don't steal from them do you?" He asked sternly

"Not in the Palace. Too risky." She sighed at Jon's expression "I am a thief Jon. One of the best in Corus. You don't survive as long as I have without being good. I didn't like it when I started, but it was either that or starving. I didn't trust George at once. I spent about three months on the streets, fending for myself before I gave in and went to the Dancing Dove. Even then I only stole from nobles, never those poorer than me. Most nobles make a good bit of their money from hiring their servants out as seamstresses or whatever and then reaping in most of their wages."

He conceded to her point and pushed half the food towards her on the table.

"Join me?"

She wrinkled her nose and pushed it back

"I can never eat early morning. I'll grab something later."

"You really should eat something." He held out half a roll. "At least eat that. I hate eating alone." She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Fine." She took the roll from his outstretched hand "But only because of the guilt trip."

He grinned unrepentantly.

"It is for your own good you know."

"Thank you _mother_."

"Any time." 

By the time the two of them had finished the meal, Jon had to go to a meeting with the King and his council. Alanna casually enquired,

"Who else has to go to these things?"

"Uncle Gareth, My Lord Provost, Sir Myles occasionally. Roger will join them now he's been here for a  couple of days." He tried not to noticed how she had started when he had mentioned his cousin. He excused himself then, pulling his tunic over his head. Alanna declined his offer of helping her clear up. After he left, she locked the door of his room and shielded it with her magic

She felt for the threads of her magic which held the Glamour she wore in place, and severed them. Glancing over at the mirror, she saw herself as she usually appeared. She had never worn a glamour for so long before. It was beginning to wear her out slightly, but she could last until this was over, if she let down her disguise more and used wigs often anyway. She turned to examine the room,

"If I wanted to keep an eye one someone in this room, where would I do that from?" Scanning the walls she was nothing that could be used as a spying tool. Except... She spun to face the mirror, quickly raising her Glamour once more. _'So much for saving my power', _She thought wryly, then she reached out towards the mirror, then retracted them and altered her Glamour to show a short black haired young woman. After a  second's thought she also darkened her skin to the brown of someone who worked outside in the fields, her appearance was now a far call from her disguise as Lienna, the Prince's maid, and her own true looks.

Then Alanna reached out again to the mirror and placed a hand on each side of the gilt frame.  A sharp shock ran through her body. Startled, she stepped back and gathered her Gift, feeling it build up inside her. She pointed at the mirror and spoke the incantation that would reveal the presence of a spell. 

When she lowered her arms, Alanna nodded in grim satisfaction. A twinning spell had been laid on the mirror. She had learned of this spell from a travelling mage who had stayed at the Dove a few months ago. A twinning spell meant that whatever was reflected in this mirror would also be seen matched in the mirror matched with Jon's by the sorcerer. 

That made up her mind, Alanna darted out into the corridor and hurried along the halls. She had asked the cook that morning  how to get to Duke Roger's rooms. She repeated the instructions in her head until she found his room, far away from the rest of the palace, in a small turret.

The door in itself was unremarkable, solid oak wood with a round brass handle. She laid her hand on the knob and pushed. The door would not open. She gathered her Gift once more, to push it through the spell placed on the door. With her aura shining a pale lavender around her, she took the fires of her magic and shoved it at the lock. 

Fireworks exploded behind her eyes, the pain burning through her like a white hot blade. But she persevered, pushing as much of her magic as she could gather into breaking the spell. Eventually the pain and extended use of her Gift wore her down.  

Alanna crumpled to the ground. The last ounce of her Gift she had kept back, she kept on the Glamour. She felt the familiar tingle of magic cementing her disguise and securing it to her.

She awoke suddenly as a rough hand shook her shoulder.

"Girl!" She struggled to pull herself from the depths of unconsciousness, opening her eyes. "You shouldn't be here." The pink blob floating above her slowly condensed into a face. The bushy eyebrows shaded clear grey eyes and a straight nose.

"Who are you?" She asked as she accepted his hand.

"Balern Seyan."

"Annlia." The two warily stepped back, silently assessing the other. When she stood next to him, the man was two heads taller than Alanna, and as thin as a willow wand.

"And what are you doing here by his Grace's chambers?"

Alanna fumbled for a response, lying didn't come particularly easy for her, she preferred to tell the truth whenever possible, but there were times like these when telling the truth would not help the situation.

"I was told to see if his Grace's rooms had been cleaned yet by the housekeeper."

"They have not." he said "I am Duke Roger's manservant. Are you assigned to help me?"

"For today only sir. The normal maid will return tomorrow." 

He fished an ornate bronze key from his belt ring and slid it into the lock. He laid a hand on the inscribed name plate and twisted the key twice. Alanna took in every detail of his actions.

When she followed Balern into the room she gasped in awe at the sight before her. Several bookcases were overflowing with ancient scrolls and magical volumes.  Other surfaces held ongoing experiment, liquids flowing and bubbling in pots.  A small room that lead off this main one was obviously the bedroom, the bed rumpled. Another open room lay next to it. She casually moved towards it, pretending to be fascinated by the books and strange equipment. Before she could get a good look at what was in the darkened room, the manservant hurried over, almost at a run, and locked it with the same brass key that opened the main door.

"The bedroom is through there girl." He gestured to the other room beside him "Do what you are here to quickly. Do not touch or move anything unnecessarily."

"Yes sir."

Alanna hurried into the smaller room, it too was full of books. One, lying on the miniature table beside the pillow, was a loosely bound plain book, used for taking notes. Risking a glance out the door she saw Balern go into the room he had locked not a minute previously. Quickly she flicked through the leaves of the book, finding that the entire thing was filled with a smooth, slanted handwriting. Alanna laid the volume back down and quickly made the bed, smoothing the sheets and plumping the pillow. She pushed all the other books into neater piles and collected all the dirty plates and glasses. Alanna then slipped the journal and a few other similar books she had selected into the pile of dirty sheets and gathered them up into her arms, being careful not to let any sharp edges or corners show through the fabric.

"Master Seyan?" He emerged from the forbidden room. "I have finished." The man walked over to the bed chamber and gave her work a cursory once over.

"Very good. You may go."

"Thank you sir." 

Alanna hurried from the room with her prizes, grinning at the simplicity of it all. _'Sorry, Jon this is the one time I will be stealing in the Palace, though it was far too easy. Duke Roger should be more careful about his private belongings.' she thought __'Otherwise he may get a nasty surprise one of these days.'_


	21. Chapter Nineteen, Threats

**Well, here it is, your 300 reviews reward… **

**Enjoy!**

****

**Chapter Twenty; Threats.**

After dropping the Duke's dirty things down in the palace kitchen and laundry, Alanna hurried to her small room. As she was posing as a personal maid she had no chores to do around the palace as the other young girls did.  Being the Crown Prince's maid made her the envy of most of the female servants. Because she wasn't living, and more importantly, sleeping, in the servant's quarters rumours were flying. She had already heard two 'reliable' sources telling their friends that she was the Prince's lover. She had dismissed the notion entirely and left before she could be discovered. 

Alanna pushed her door open with her hip, balancing a tray of food in one hand, the books she had stolen from Roger's rooms under the other arm. She turned to place the tray on her dresser and gasped as she caught sight of the state of her room.  The few belongings she had brought with her from the Dove were thrown about and broken where possible.  The blanket and sheets on the bed had been shredded. Her pillow had exploded, leaving feathers all over the devastation. The chest containing all her weapons and boy's clothing had been thrown against the wall, judging from the scrapes in the paint work, and when that hadn't worked, the lock had been hit repeatedly against the bedstead, causing one of the legs to snap and hold the bed at a crooked angle. Although the padlock was bent out of shape and dented, it was thankfully still intact. Alanna's secret was safe. There was no way that the wreckers of her room would have been able to keep secret that Prince Jonathon's maid had boys clothes, not his highness' either, and weapons locked in a trunk by her bed. 

Grimly she set her tray down on the floor and began to clear the mess away. It wasn't until Alanna shut the door that she saw the message daubed across the wall in blue ink. She sank down on the floor, sitting on the rug, stained with the same colour. Emblazoned on the door and on the wall either side was the threat; 

'You don't belong here. Leave before something worse happens.' Someone else had added, in red paint, with bold letters the word 'Whore' underneath.

Alanna sighed and got to her feet, there was no point brooding and she had the feeling that she would need to put a far stronger lock on her door, or she would be cleaning up a lot more messes like this over the next few weeks.

She set her weapons trunk upright at the foot of her bed. Then, calmly, she surveyed the rest of the damage done to the room. The blanket was beyond repair, the sheets she might be able to mend. The mirror was smashed into a thousand tiny pieces. Alanna bent and gathered the shards of glass that had fallen from the frame into her hand. 

"Gods curse it!" Droplets of red began to flow between her fingers. The glass had cut her cleanly across her palm. She dropped the pieces and pressed her hand against a ribbon of bed linen. The bleeding soon stopped, and when she inspected it, the gash wasn't very deep. She threw the stained cloth aside and resumed cleaning her room. She used parts of her Gift to put the bedstead back into one piece and found her reserves lower than she would like. Nothing a good night's sleep wouldn't fix. She knelt and, far more carefully this time, picked up the shards of broken mirror one by one. Alanna then wrapped them in another part of what used to be her blanket and left them on the scratched dresser. As she laboured to fit the table and stool back together, a knock sounded on the door. she stood, a leg and the seat of the stool still in her hands.

"Who is there?"

"Your master, maid." Alanna opened the door to see, as she expected, Jonathon and his friends. She gestured for them to come in.

"Goddess!" Gary whistled.

"Alanna, what happened in her?" Jon asked, staring at the ruin of her usually well ordered room.

"See for yourself. Shut the door." Alex did as she bid. They all exclaimed indignation at the message.

"Why would someone go through all the trouble to break in your room, wreck all your things and threaten you?" Raoul wondered. Alanna sighed and gave up on the seat she was still trying to mend, throwing it to the floor.  Alex picked it up and began idly trying to put the bits back together.

"You know as much as I do." She waved a hand at the message, "Someone doesn't want me here."

"Who?" Alex questioned. She only shrugged in reply.

"What are you going to do?" Gary wanted to know

"Nothing." Alanna turned to face him

"I should report this to the Chamberlain." She spun back around at the sound of Jon's quiet voice.

"No!"

"Alanna..."

"No!" She cut him off

"I have to, it is my duty to protect and defend my servants. Even those who only masquerade as my servants."

"Jonathon... we don't know who there are. We don't even have any suspicions.  I don't want any attention drawn to me if I can help it. This is too much attention for my taste.

"But..."

"No Jon. I am fine and I can clear this up by tonight. If you tell the Chamberlain they will just find another way to do it. They want me out of the palace. These stupid tricks," She gestured at the wall, "Wont make me do anything, except become more determined than ever to stay." She stepped closer to him, staring up forcefully into his eyes.

"Alanna..." Her firm look told him that she would not budge an inch. Her mind was made up and nothing could change it. "Fine. But if something like this happens again, let me know."

"I will." She promised, _If anything happens that has anything to do with the plot to take the throne. _

Jon sighed to himself and gave in, he knew Alanna would never turn to him or any of the others for help. She preferred to fight her own battles. 

Gary, Alex and Raoul, sensing the silent power struggle that went on underneath the spoken debate, wisely kept quiet.

When Alanna took the stool back from Alex and began struggling with it again, Gary bent down and began trying to repair the table. Jon and Alex attempted to salvage the bed, while Raoul endeavoured to scrub the message from the door and wall.

It wasn't until the midday bell rang that they stopped working. By this time, Alanna's quarters were looking normal again. The knights left, promising to bring her food back later that afternoon as the remains of her lunch -stew- were cold and congealing.

Alanna stood slowly from her seat on the floor. She grimaced as she felt the blood rushing back into her legs. Suddenly she caught sight of the leather bound books that she  had taken from the Duke's rooms, lying on the floor, half hidden under the pile of cloths that were her bedclothes. Alanna pulled them out and went to sit on Jon's window seat. She locked the door, then sat again, pulling her skirt up and leaning back against the frame. She lifted the first book onto one of her crossed legs and slowly opened the cover of a large black book, the one she had spotted first. It was filled with scrawled, hastily written notes. 

It seemed that Roger was trying to research an ancient spell. He had been making notes from the archaic scrolls that were held in the palace vault libraries. Alanna could not read the strange languages and runes that littered the pages, so she put that book aside and began reading another. This seemed to be a journal. She read it avidly, the detail of his planning and the violence of his thoughts shocking her. His fury and hatred seemed to manifest in his writing, often making it large and blacker than the other text around it. Alanna and George had began to suspect someone was beginning to rebel against the King and his rule some time ago. They had, after Alanna had cured Jonathon of the Sweating Sickness, than discovered that there were only three sorcerers in the Eastern Lands who were strong enough to brew the Sickness and send it to those they wished to fall ill. Duke Roger's name was among them.

Recently George had learned that not all of the assassins sent after him, Alanna and Jon had been Selket's men. Some had talked, after a little... persuasion on his part, and told him that they had been given their orders by a man from the palace, thin with dark hair, bushy eyebrows and grey eyes.  Only now did Alanna make the firm connection between Roger and her would-be killers. The man who had paid them was Balern, Duke Roger's manservant. 

Alanna had heard about, and seen, a lot of horrible and wicked deeds in her life. She had seen people murder and betray their own friends and kin for power. She had seen girls and wives abused by those they should have been able to trust; fathers, husbands. But the Duke's rage and sadistic plans sickened her, as hardened as she was by the horrors she had witnesses. But the diary told her plenty about why he did what he did. It also laid out, although shakily in places, what his plans were for taking over and ruling Tortall.

He had a back up plan if the first one did not succeed. Or if the second failed as well. Alanna had already defeated part of his first plan; the Sweating Sickness. He had planned to kill Jon with that plague and then the King and Queen in turn and so get the throne. Roger had brewed the Sickness in Carthak, with help from a fellow mage, who he then had cast into the prisons of Emperor Ozorne, as a traitor.

When that had failed he decided to take a more direct approach, returning to Corus so he could ensure his plans were carried out perfectly, in person. In the diary he made a few vague references to Queen Lianne's poor health. He appeared to take pride in that, although why Alanna could not discover.

She read on as the sun began to lower from its peak, exchanging one book for another as she finished them. When she had finally read all the books, Alanna set them down on her lap and leaned back, resting her head against the hard wood, and exhaled. She now had enough proof against Roger to condemn him in anyone's eyes. But it was still not enough to prevent what he wanted to do. He was a strong enough sorcerer to send spells from his prison cell to anywhere in the country. Also, if he had any spells on the King and Queen, or even on Jonathon, it would be dangerous to confront the mage until they could remove the enchantments, or at least knew what they were.

She would have to be patient and wait, although patience was in no way one of her strongest qualities, she knew when it was sometimes necessary. But for the moment she would need to find someone who would be able to translate the runes and foreign languages in the first book she had looked at. If they knew what kind of spell Roger was planning to use, the palace mages and those Rogues who were Gifted could work the counter spell. She would also have to get a mage to lay a protection and cloaking spell upon the books to hide them, the Duke would certainly try and find them. Or at least to destroy any evidence against him once he realised that his journals were gone. 

A bell sounded through the walls of the castle, reverberating deeply through the stone. Alanna jumped, that was the signal for the last lesson of the day. She swore at herself, she had wasted  too much time. Roger should be returning to his chambers in under an hour, he ought to be teaching the Gifted squires now. She must get the books safe before then. Alanna threw a cloth over each book and, as quickly as she was able, changed into riding gear. She scribbled a note and placed it on the desk where the men were sure to see it when they returned, and, hugging the journals to her chest, she sped through the corridors. She did not even bother to saddle Moonlight when she reached the stables. She just bridled the mare, talking quietly to her while she did so, then leapt on her back, and together, the girl and horse galloped towards the Dancing Dove.


	22. Chapter Twenty, The Gate

**Chapter Twenty One; The Gate.**

****

Alanna jumped off Moonlight's back as soon as she was in the yard of the Dove and called to a boy standing by the stables, who she vaguely recognised, leaving her mare with him. She hurried across the yard, leaving the orders that Moonlight should be given water and saddled if time, but not removed from the yard. she had barely broken into a sweat on the way down so she didn't need to be rubbed down, just have a cloth thrown over her and a drink.

Alanna burst into the inn. Rispah was sitting in one of the cushioned chairs with George's mother, Eleni Cooper. 

Eleni was one of the few women Alanna respected, Rispah was another. They were strong women who stood up for themselves before men and knew how to use the common weapons; the dagger and bow. They had taught Alanna 'women's magic', Rispah was an expert in thread magic while Eleni was the best healer in Lower Corus. The two did not halt her with any greetings or questions, they took one look at the girl, her hair thrown about by the wind and speed of her riding and boots only tied loosely, as if she had pulled them on without bothering to tie them, after kicking them off. All in all, she looked as if she would not waste any time on trivialities.

"Where is George?" Alanna asked, her head snapping around to Eleni and Rispah after surveying the room.

"In his chambers with a couple of men." Mistress Cooper answered, as calm and unruffled as ever.

"Who?"

"Marek, Scholar.." Rispah began to list

Alanna cut her off, 

"So I can interrupt. I will have to. This is far too important to wait." The older women rose, but she gestured for them not to bother, bowed ironically then raced to the Rogue King's rooms.

Alanna paused slightly at the door to knock, but then, without waiting for a reply barged straight in to the room. All the men leapt to their feet, weapons drawn. She dodged a dagger thrown from Marek as she flung the door open.

"Check who is there before releasing." She chided, without really looking for the guilty person. "I apologise for breaking up your meeting, but I must speak to George. Now." At a nod from their King, the thieves left, bowing slightly to him and their princess.

"What's the matter 'Lanna?" George sat, concern showing in his hazel eyes.

"I found these in Duke Roger's rooms." She unwrapped the books and placed them on the table. "They list his past plans but sadly, only his future ones in little detail." She began to pace the room as George scanned the books. He whistled in admiration

"Alanna, me girl, you surprise me more with every day that passes."

"Look in the red one." She pointed, "And I guarantee I'll surprise you more yet." George picked up the indicated book 

"I don't know the language." 

"We need to find a mage who can read it. And who will put a protection spell on them."

"Or else his Lordship'll try and find or destroy them." he finished for her.

"Exactly. Know anyone?"

"No. Mayhaps Mother will know some."

They clattered down the stairs to ask her. Eleni gave them the address of a sorcerer in eastern Corus who might help them. Conscious of every second ticking away, Alanna rode instantly for the address, books closeted firmly in her arms. By unspoken agreement George let her go, to follow as soon as his own mare, Beauty, was led out.

Men, women and children all scattered and ran from their path as the two galloped unchecked through the streets of the cite. Alanna had thrown her dark blue cloak on and the hood as up to conceal her distinctive hair. When they arrived at the house, they spotted the sign of a mage upon the door; a crossed willow wand and oaken staff.

Alanna jumped down from Moonlight's back and tied both her's and George's reins to a nearby post, giving them enough slack to fight back if any horse thieves came looking.

George was already at the door, hammering at it for all he was worth, as she came up the short path. A small, wizened old man answered his knocking

"Yes? What do you want?"

"Master Raquel?" George asked.

"Yes. That is me. May I help you?" This time Alanna answered 

"Mistress Eleni Copper told us that you would help us."

"Eleni?" He arched a grey eyebrow "Oh yes, I will help you for Eleni's sake." Alanna nodded her thanks and entered the house after George, pulling the door firmly shut behind her. She whispered in his ear when she was sure the older man could not hear her.

"Remind me _never _ to ask." Her foster father nodded wholeheartedly in agreement.

The mage turned the face the pair when they were inside the main room.

"How may I be of assistance to you?" 

Alanna brought the books out from under her cloak.

"Can you put cloaking and protection spells on these?"

"Certainly. " He began bustling around in a small area partitioned off from the main room. "How strong?"

"As strong as you can make it." George said firmly. 

"Amulets then."

They sank into chairs as the man worked. Luckily for them he worked swiftly, when he was finished, he approached the books and began to chant, placing an amulet onto each one. With a sound like the rushing sea, each metal shape sank into the cover as if it was mud. The mage then repeated the procedure with different shaped amulets on the other side. Finally, face slightly grey, he turned to face his visitors. 

"They are as strong as my power can make them. I have an old pupil in the City of the Gods who is far more powerful then I, as a favour for you, I shall ask his to place a firmer spell upon these items. He is the youngest master of the Mithran Light in history."

"Thank  you." George was the first to rise to his feet, offering a purse to the mage. He accepted it readily. Alanna however remained seated.

"You are a Mithran priest?" She queried.

"Yes I am."

"Can you read any runic alphabets?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?" Alanna opened the red book and showed him the letters. The mage bent over and looked at them closely.

"This is an older version of the Gate of Idramm. It will open the Gate." He slammed the cover shut. 

"What is it master?" George sat back down next to Alanna

"You do not know?" Seeing their blank faces he continued. 

"A normal Gate of Idramm summons all magical beings, like spirits, demons, monsters and elementals towards it, within a certain distance. Unless limits are placed upon this spell, that spot will become ruinous from just the sheer power of the spell. This variation," He laid a hand on the cover of the journal, "will bend reality and summon beasts from the mystical realms as well."

"Great Mother." Alanna breathed.

"Aye." George agrees. "We are going to have to work fast them. Alanna girl, you are going to have to tell them you trust at the palace." She nodded and turned back tot he mage, who watched them curiously

"Master Raquel, is there any way the break the Gate?"

"Only by disrupting the symbols, but the backlash from that would be colossal."

 George stood.

"Thank you Master. I don't have to tell you to remain silent about this do I?"

"No sir. If you need any help come to me. I don't know, nor want to, who is causing this, but he has put limits upon the spell. Not on distance, but on those entities he is summoning. And they are the ones a human mage, if he has the spells and pure will power, can bend to obey his orders."

"Thank you." Both Alanna and George rose, as she followed him out, she added over her shoulder.

"We may need your help in future."

"I will be glad to be of service." He bowed. She nodded slightly in reply, then hurried out the door, fastening her cloak tighter.

Now the books were safely hidden from magical eyes, and back underneath Alanna's cloak, the two rode more sedately.

"They've a right to know." George said steadily. Alanna sighed

"I know. But do I have enough proof for them? Jon loves his cousin and thinks he can do no wrong."

"Is there any more proof you can find?" He asked shrewdly

"Possibly. There is a banquet tonight, in honour of the last day before midwinter. I'll search his rooms once more."

"I thought you said you couldn't get in though?"

"Not magically. But I know where the key is. So I am going to do a bit of good, old fashioned, pick pocketing."


	23. Chapter Twenty One, Princess of Thieves

**Chapter Twenty Two; Princess of Thieves.**

A muffled curse came from Jonathan's room, Alanna got up from where she was sitting on her bed, sharpening arrows. She pushed open the connecting door,

"What is the matter Jon?"

"Mother and Father had ordered me to dance with every lady at the ball again." She muffled a laugh.

"Have you any idea how many young men would love to be in your shoes tonight? They area all wishing that Lady Delia and Lady Cyntheria would dance with them."

"Delia? She is a complete witch!" Alanna raised an eyebrow at his tone

"Why?"

"I overheard her talking to someone in the gardens. She was talking about 'distracting me so the way was clear'."

"Oh?" Her mind was working overtime. Could Delia be part of Roger's plan?

"'Oh'." Jonathan repeated. "You know something  about this Alanna, and you aren't telling me."

"I need a bit more proof, then I will tell you." She promised, straightening his tunic at the back. He stared at her for a few seconds, then nodded as she returned his look equally.

"Come and get me as soon as you have your proof." He pleaded, "Rescue me!"

She laughed and pushed him slightly.

"You love it really." She teased.

"No I don't!"

A knock sounded on the door and Raoul appeared first, being propelled in by Gary and Alex.

"Alanna's going to reveal all tonight!" Jon called to his friends. She frantically shook her head.

"Not everything. Just who is rebelling and how."

"Well." Gary said. "This should be an interesting evening and no mistake. Jon, Lady Delia is waiting for you." The Prince groaned, and together they pushed him out the door. There they separated, the knights to attend the banquet, even Raoul who hated and feared social events, and Alanna to go to her room, then to find Balern, manservant to Duke Roger of Conté.

She checked all the obvious places first; his room, the kitchen and the servants' mess room. She was beginning to wonder where he could be, when she saw him exit the room his master used as a classroom. She pulled back behind the corner. As she heard his footsteps begin to come towards her, she ran around the corner and cannoned in to him. He flew to the ground, Alanna on top of him. He pushed her off of him and struggled to his feet, brushing imaginary dirt off his tunic.

"I am so sorry sir." she bowed her head

"Stupid wench!" Balern leaned towards her and tried to box her ears. 

She braced herself and did not fight back. He missed one of his targets and blackened her eye slightly. He growled at her in annoyance and slapped her across one cheek with the back of his hand. Her head snapped to the side. She took several deep breaths to calm down and prevent herself from fighting back. 

It had been years since she had allowed anyone to strike her without retaliating. Even as a child in Trebond she had fought back whenever possible. She could control the pain, that was minimal and easy to push aside. It was the indignation that made it so hard to bear. But she managed to control her famed temper and curtsey low in subservience. He brushed past her contemptuously when he felt that she had been fittingly punished. 

Only after Balern had rounded the corner and gone out of sight, did she rise, a ring of keys in her hand. Gloatingly Alanna waved them in the direction the manservant had gone.

"Missing something?"

**Well. There you go.**

**As a note, the next chapters will probably vary greatly in length, from the shorter to the very long. Please do not complain about that. I am building up to something BIG and short chapters are essential.  And also, in your reviews, please do give constructive criticism, simply telling me that a certain pairing sucks, does not help me at all. **

****

**By the way, if you want to ask any questions about the awards, email me at tortallianheroes@yahoo.co.uk  I hope to have the site up by the end of the month, and then you can submit your nominations there, please don't email them to me.**

**HuntressDiana**


	24. Chapter Twenty Two, Proof

**Chapter Twenty Three; Proof.**

Alanna strung the keys on her dagger belt, which was hidden beneath her shirt. She ran to the hall to check that Roger was there and not wandering around the palace. 

She laughed as she spotted Jon sitting next to Lady Delia of Eldorne. The girl was a beauty; there was no denying it; her chestnut hair and ruby coloured lips were striking against the emerald velvet dress she was wearing. But her green eyes were calculating and sharp. Her dress neckline was extremely low and she was trying to use that to her advantage. Jon looked disgustedly at her, then turned to the lady sitting on his right, plainly hoping that Delia would get the hint and leave him alone. Unfortunately for him, she didn't.

Gary was sitting, to his great delight, next to Lady Cyntheria of Elden and was flirting earnestly with her. She didn't seem to be rebuking his advances at all.

Raoul could have been made of wood for all he was doing. His dinner partner had evidently given up on making any conversation with him and therefore was chatting with Alex and his companion. 

Roger was sitting at the high table, along with the King and Queen. Duke Gareth was at his other side. As she watched, Alanna saw Roger exchange a long look with Delia. She lifted her hands in a gesture of defeat, he glared fiercely at her, and immediately she began trying to catch Jon's attention again.

Alanna left as silently as she had arrived, making herself seem to be part of the palace.

She headed up through the passages she knew no one else would be in. When she reached Duke Roger's door she pulled the keys off her belt and, checking no one was coming up the tight stairs, selected the same bronze one that had opened the door the first time she had been there, and inserted it into the lock. She recalled the exact motions Balern had made to open the door before moving. She laid her hand on the nameplate then twisted the key twice. For one, heart stopping moment it wouldn't turn past the first rotation, but then continued turning when she forced it with all of her strength. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and pushed open the door and stepped over the threshold. Now she headed straight for the room the manservant had locked before. It was locked again. She repeated the same procedure as on the outside door. To her surprise it worked, the door opened and she stepped into the secret room. 

The room was small and was, as Alanna had suspected it to be, Roger's workroom. It was filled with all kinds of arcane equipment. Scrying stones and charts stood on a table that was, in its turn, stacked high with books. Her attention was drawn to a whistling sound by one of the windows. 

A small screen, no higher than Alanna's waist stood in the corner. A small pile of sand and a puddle of water lay on the flagstone beside the screen. Curious, Alanna lifted one edge of the screen. She was hit by a flurry of sand at once. She dropped the cloth back down and sat back on her heels, blinking furiously. But she had seen something swaying in the midst of the storm. Alanna peered over the top of the barrier. A shape was suspended there, in mid air. She reached in, wincing as the sand bit into her hand and lifted the thing out.

When it was free, Alanna gasped. It was a near perfect model of Queen Lianne. This was image magic, he had placed this doll into a magically sustained sandstorm to wear it down, and therefore the Queen would also become ill, but in such a way that no one could suspect unnatural means. The sand storm must be stopped at times, Alanna suspected, to make her illness even more realistic. 

Squinting down behind the screen again, with the doll in her lap, she found a bowl of water with still more dolls inside. Slowly and carefully she drew them out and laid them in a row before her. King Roald, Prince Jonathon and the Provost were all there. So was Duke Gareth, the Palace training master, and one other man, wearing crumpled green and brown clothes, short and stout with brown shaggy hair. All the dolls were made so realistically that they could have been miniature people. The clothes were tailored and the hair was real and implanted in their wax heads. Duke Roger had spared no expense. 

With slightly trembling hands, Alanna set the dolls back in the water. She realized the purpose of the bowl of liquid as she lowered Duke Gareth, the water would act as a veil, numbing the senses of those represented by the dolls, so hiding Roger's plans from all those with influence in the palace and at court. 

Now Alanna rose, she had enough proof to satisfy anyone. She walked to the desk and examined the books. She selected a few of the thicker books and dumped them in her room before going back to the hall to show her proof to those she had come to think of as her friends; Gary, Alex, Raoul and the Prince.

**Well guys? Do you like? Hate? Let me know please. **

**By the way, all my judges out there email tortallianheroes@yahoo.co.uk and let me know who you are so I've got your addresses. It's not too late to join. But I will be drawing the line when the site opens around the end of the month.**

****

**HuntressDiana**


	25. Chapter Twenty Thre, The youngest Master

**Chapter Twenty Four, The youngest Master.**

****

A fire burned in a bare room at the Mithran cloisters in the City of the Gods. A bleak view of cold, stony mountains could be seen from the window. The room was stone walled with little to no decorations. It was fitted with only the necessities; a bed, a filled bookshelf, a table and a chair.

The occupant of the room kneeled before the hearth, the flames glowing purple with the fires of his Gift. He sat upright, back rigidly upright, his bearing was proud and his expression arrogant as he listened to the image in the fire.

"...of Idramm. What ever is happening here in Corus, it is big."

"Who brought you the books?" the man questioned

"A girl and a man." Master Raquel answered, "The man was tall, brown haired and he had hazel eyes. The girl was small."

"Nothing else about her?"

"She wore a cloak and hood the entire time." The master said

"How peculiar."

"Yes, indeed, but she spoke as one used to command, as did the man."

"And why should I want to come to Corus on the basis of a man and mysterious girl's word?"

"You are powerful enough to defeat this sorcerer. And we both know what portents have been seen. Besides, there is only one place a sorcerer would want to put a spell like this. I read more in the runes than I told the girl."

"You suspect high treason?" The man raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"I do." Raquel nodded his head gravely. "But remember, two nights from now is Midwinter. I suspect that the attack will come then. A feast is always held at the palace for midwinter."

"Very well master Raquel. I will depart at once. I suppose it is my duty to the Crown."

"Indeed it is." The older man's face was solemn. "It is time to face the world again, Master Thom."

His face resolute, Thom of Trebond nodded in agreement.

**Ok, that was too short, have another chapter… but if anyone complains about the length again…**


	26. Chapter Twenty Four, Friends

**Chapter Twenty Five; Friends.**

****

Alanna brushed her currently brown hair back from her face, touched the keys on her belt to reassure herself they were there, and picked a water dish up from a tray. The second round of subtleties was on the table. For the feast of Midwinter, the cooks had surpassed themselves, a full moon hung above a howling wolf upon a crag, and a figure of Lady Maya, the goddess of the hunt and wild beasts, stood below it, longbow drawn. Her clothes were the same brown and white of the palace servants, although pages and squires usually served at these feasts, a few of the maids helped out. So she moved along the tables, offering the water and cloth to those who needed it. 

She approached Jon's table, ignoring Delia and curtseying beside Jonathon

"My Prince." She lowered her face respectfully as Delia glared at her. He dipped his fingers in the water bowl, then took the cloth from her hand.

"Thank you." he said, then jumped slightly as Alanna raised her head, a mocking grin on her lips.

"It is my pleasure your Highness." She straightened, jerking her head slightly towards the exit from the hall. Jon nodded to show he understood, and as she moved on, he began to make his excuses to the Ladies.

It was far easier to get Gary and Raoul, she simply tapped their shoulders and gestured towards the door. The expression on Raoul's face made her bite her lip to stop herself from bursting out into laughter. She had never seen someone look so relieved or grateful in her life. Alex saw her working her was towards him and saved her the trouble by rising from his chair and walking towards her.

Alanna met them all in the grand ante-chamber outside the hall. She shushed their questions and guided them down the narrow passageways only the servants used. When she was sure they were alone, Alanna turned, releasing the Glamour.

Jon and Gary were the first to spot the welts and bruises on her face. Raoul was next, as he turned to see what the shocked gasps from his friends were for. He then whistled softly in sympathy.

The Prince stepped closer to Alanna, and she matched his steady look evenly. Her right cheek was heavily bruised from Balern's backhand, and her lip cut from the same stroke. Her left cheekbone was also bruised; the skin above the bone was torn and swollen. 

Jon cupped her cheek. 

"Who did this to you?" his voice shook with barely restrained anger as he turned her face from side to side gently.

"I'm fine." She protested. He moved his hand away and showed Alanna her own blood staining his hand. Still she insisted "I am fine."

" No you aren't Alanna." Gary butted in. "Who hit you?"

"And why did you let him?" Alex added shrewdly.

"It is easier to take a slap then to draw attention to myself."

"A slap!" Raoul scoffed. The big knight began to pace the room. "That is far worse than a slap."

Jon lifted her hair, now its usual copper colour, away from the side of her face. He winced as he revealed yet more bruises. He laid a hand on the swollen area and Alanna felt a cool, tingling sensation passing over the skin. He was healing her. 

The rest stood and watched as the marks marring her face faded away. Finally there was only the split lip left to deal with. Jonathon lifted her chin so she was looking straight into his eyes. Then, very gently, he laid his index finger on her lip. Slowly, when it was mended, Jon withdrew his finger, his clear blue eyes never leaving her violet ones.

One of the others coughed slightly and the two started.

"You said you had proof now Alanna." Gary reminded her. "Where is it?"

"I'll take you to it. But I warn you; you won't like it." As she began leading them towards the stairs, a hand in the crook of her elbow stopped her.

"Wait." Jonathon's voice was icy cold. "I wan to know who hit you."

"It doesn't matter." She tried to pull away, but his grip tightened on her upper arm.

"Of course it matters." Raoul spoke for all of them "You are our friend." 

Alanna was stunned. She had dared to wish that the men counted her as one of their number, as a friend. But to hear Raoul say it, and to see all the rest nodding in agreement... That was more than she had ever thought could come true. For once in her life, Alanna was accepted, unconditionally, for the fact that she was herself. She owed it to her friends to tell them the truth.

"Balern."

"Who?" Alex asked, confusion evident on his face.

"Duke Roger's manservant."

"Why did he hit you?" Jon enquired

"I knocked him over." He sensed there was more to the story than Alanna was revealing to them.

"Why did you knock him over?"

"Well I had to get these somehow." Alanna held up the keys to Duke Roger's room once more.

Well, I hope that length was better for you. I have the next update ready so when I get a decent amount of reviews I'll update. Come on people, that's the closest I've got to saying 'I'll update when I have… reviews'.

**For all those who asked about a Daine story. I have an idea now to continue 'Call of the Wild'. I may be starting that soon. I'll let you know.**

**I still need the following people to email me at tortallianheroes@yahoo.co.uk to confirm they are judging, apologies if you already have. If I do not receive these emails by Thursday, I will assume that you do not want to judge the awards any longer. Thursday is also the last day I will accept new judges.**

**Forget me not,**

**Silver Griffin, **

**Amanda,**

**Hannirose,**

**Sydney Bristow,**

**Xelena**

**Alex Huish,**

**Raven of the wood,**

**Sunny1388**

**Valencia22**

**Stacey Chin**

**Spirited away**

**Minerva D**

**Kittles.**

**Also the lovely person doing my background and the Immortals badges, can you please email me any more you have done.**

**Thanks**

**HuntressDiana**


	27. Chapter Twenty Five, Revelations

**Chapter Twenty Six; Revelations.**

Well, seeing as my exam today went well, I guess you can have this update a little earlier than planned…

Gary pointed to the keys hanging from Alanna's forefinger.

"Those keys are for..."

"Yes. His Grace, the Duke of Conté's rooms." Jon's face was pale. Alanna prised her arms out of his stone like, unfaltering grip. "I'm sorry Jon, but there is proof."

He set his jaw.

"Show us then."

Alanna nodded, 

"This way." She led the way through the palace to Duke Roger's suite of rooms. 

She opened the door quickly and ushered them in before securing it on the inside. As they looked around the main room, Alanna crossed the floor and opened the smaller door to the work room.

"In here." No one spoke as they filed into the room. It seemed a lot smaller to her now, less mysterious and alien, now she was with the taller knights.

She brought them over to the screen and wordlessly pulled out the doll of Queen Lianne. Gary took in a sharp breath as he lifted the perfect model of his aunt from her hand. 

Her heart ached as she saw the pain on her Prince's face. She knew only too intimately, the pain of being betrayed unexpectedly by one you loved, and by one who you thought loved you.

"I'm sorry. But there's more." This time she lifted the entire bowl of water from the sandstorm. Then silently, one by one, she withdrew the other dolls. The men named them as se carefully laid them down, not causing any more harm to the wax.

"The King, Duke Gareth, The Provost," They called the man she did not know "Sir Myles." Alanna had heard that name before, Raoul explained who he was, when he caught her expression.

"He teaches the pages and squires history." She nodded in thanks, then removed the last doll and gave it to the person who it represented: Prince Jonathon.

Jon gasped, his cousin's treachery was now complete. His face was ashen and grey, his eyes angry, but at the same time desperately sad. His mouth had tightened into a thin line.

"I'm sorry Jon, I know you loved him, but I had to stop him. He was killing your mother."

His voice was weary. 

"I know Alanna, I know. But..." He looked up at her from the effigy in his hands. "You still know more about this." He stated it as a fact, not a question

She agreed.

"Yes. But this proof you need to come and read."

He nodded, and in the shocked quiet they put the dolls back so Roger would not suspect his secret had been discovered, and walked to Alanna's room. She unlocked the door and let them into the room, then, as she unbolted the trunk, Jon opened the door connecting their two rooms.

With the stack of books in her arms, she followed the young men into the Prince's room.

"Where do you want to start?" She asked. They each selected a book from the pile, but when Jonathon picked one up, she stopped his hand.

"You should have this one." She placed the red journal into his hand. He saw the resolve he felt mirrored in her eyes, she was just as eager to bring Roger to justice as he now was. Alanna had known about this treason for some time. 

It pained him to know that the man who had taught him how to ride and how to use his Gift was now plotting to kill him. How long had his cousin been pretending? Had he always had treachery at the back of his mind? Or had it recently surfaced? If so, when had his laughter, his smiles become fake? 

Jon looked up from where his gaze was resting on the leather cover of the journal, to see Alanna's deep violet eyes filled, not with the pity he had half expected to see, but with sorrow for being the harbinger of such evil news, and compassion along with understanding for his internal torment.

With a smile that felt weak even to him, he accepted the book and went to sit in his favourite chair. Alanna began setting up the wards, only to find a sapphire blue film already covering the walls and doors. She released the lavender fires building around her hands and arched an eyebrow at Jon.

"You?" 

He nodded, she rolled her eyes as a response and sat next to his chair, on the floor using a pillow as a seat. She pulled one of the books she had taken earlier today onto her lap and leant against the side of the chair, legs crossed tailor style. 

All that could be heard in the room was an occasional sound of disgust or disbelief and the rustle of pages. Alanna sighed, this new book was stuffed full of research notes for the Gate of Idramm and the Sweating sickness. To Alanna, who was almost completely untrained in the art of scholarly magics, it could have been written in another language for all she could understand. She twisted to see if Jon could help, he was Gifted after all, when the book on her lap, and its twin on the floor beside Alanna, burst into flames. She cried out in surprise as she jumped to her feet, beating at the flames frantically. Gary and Alex rushed to hit the books, both now on the floor, with a cushion and the remaining pillow, in an effort to crush the flames. Raoul ran to the washroom and brought back a full jug of water, pouring it over her still burning clothing as she and Jon tried to stop the fire spreading from the front of her skirt up to her shirt. With a horrible smell and a loud crack, the flames went out. 

Alanna shook her dripping and singed skirt out in disgust.

"Look at the other books!" Gary called, pointing. They were all glowing a steady orange colour, but the mist hung just over the covers, unable to touch it while the protective amulets were there. Alanna breathed a sigh of relief; thanking the great Gods that most of their proof hadn't been destroyed. As the orange mist faded, Raoul asked

"What in Mithros' name was that?" 

Her answer was grim.

"I guess his Grace just discovered that some of his books were... removed shall we say, from his rooms.

"Will he know that we've seen the dolls?" Jon wanted to know.

"I don't know, but I think not. I doubt he will even consider that someone would try to break into his private workroom. He has been very careful not to make enemies and to cover his tracks."

"But you noticed." Alex pointed out quietly, "When we didn't suspect a thing."

"I have good sources of information." Alanna let the subtle compliment roll off her. "And an outsider's perspective." She paused, then added, "Also an extreme dislike of sorcerers and nobles." That cracked a smile from her companions.

"What about us?" Gary said, pretending to be offended. "We're nobles! You cant get any more noble than the heir to the throne here." he nodded his head towards Jonathon, who looked unsure as to whether he should be insulted or pleased by that comment. 

"Well." Alanna mock shrugged, "there are bad ones in every breed."

"Excuse me?" The men began to encircle her. "'Bad ones'?"

"Yes." She said, a smile playing around her mouth, "The 'bad ones' are those who forget their station and fraternise with those of a lower class."

"Like you?" Jon looked incredulous.

"Like me." She confirmed.

"But you're a Princess." He objected. Alanna laughed out loud. 

"Well then, in that case, maybe you and I should shun these boys who are so far beneath us." She lifted her nose into the air and ducked underneath the grasping arms of the knights, as they tried to catch her, laughing uncontrollably.

"Maybe you are right." the Prince agreed.

The others exchanged a glance.

"That's it!" Raoul declared, the others nodding in agreement, "Get them!"

The three launched themselves and the royal pair. Alanna ducked behind Jonathon quickly, pretending to faint. The others quickly piled on top of Jon, crushing him and making him pleas for mercy. Even the usually dignified Alex joined in, trapping Alanna in what he thought was a secure hold. However, he soon found himself beneath her, with Alanna sitting casually on his stomach.

The two large knights let Jon out from under them as she found himself unable to breathe. Soon they were all collapsing in laughter onto the floor. Some of it was mirth, some laughing so they didn't cry, and the rest was pure mirth.

When they finally subsided into quiet, sides and chests aching, they found themselves sprawled all over the floor of Jonathon's room.

"Snobs." Raoul declared. They were too exhausted to fight any more, so Alanna just made a small affirmative noise. It was Alex who brought them back to the more serious matter at hand, their brief escape into laughter gone.

"When do you think he will attack Alanna?"

"When everyone he wants out the way is together." She said, thinking out loud. "Probably at the midwinter ball."

"But that is in two days!" Jon exclaimed.

"He won't want to waste time now." she reminded him. "he knows someone has his books who shouldn't have. He may think he destroyed all the evidence against him, but he doesn't know who read it. He will want to work fast."

"So what are we going to do?" Gary asked.

Alanna dropped her head into her hands to avoid seeing all their expectant faces.

"I don't know. I just don't know."


	28. Chapter Twenty S, A Master, a Mage and a...

**Chapter Twenty Seven; A Master, a Mage and a Sorcerer.**

**Well, all of you should thank Tiger-eyes who gave me 30 reviews, so forcing me to give you this three chapter reward...**

****

Lord Thom of Trebond rode his mount hard as he travelled south along the Great Road. He would be in Corus by sunrise the next day. He had sped his journey up by cutting across country, using small lanes, then rejoining the road as he passed his fief. Coram Smythesson was steward there, Thom left all the management to him and Maude the healer, he did not care for his childhood home, he rarely visited, the last time being when Lord Alan died. 

Thom had never cared over much for riding, but according to Master Raquel, he must arrive in Corus as fast as he was able. He did not care at all for the problems in the capital, as long as they did not interrupt his studies and experiments. 

After gaining the mastery of the Mithran Light, Thom had stayed on at the Cloisters. Truth be told the only reason he had come at Raquel's request was that he was bored. 

If the sorcerer was as powerful as his former teacher claimed him to be, then this would be a challenge. His respect for the older man was also a factor. Master Raquel had learned magic from all over the Eastern lands and beyond. He knew Bazhir magic from the Great Southern desert, and had found rare spells in the Carthaki Empire and the Copper Isles. He had passed on this knowledge to his student.

So Thom rode through the night, lit only with the purple fires of his Gift, to help defeat an evil he didn't care about, and to save people he had no interest in.

Master Raquel sat in an upright chair before a banked fire. His face was deeply lined with age and care.

He fought a great internal battle, debating with himself as to whether he should tell Eleni Cooper, who had sent that strange man and girl to him, that he had summoned a mage from the City of the Gods to help defeat the sorcerer. In the end he decided that they would need all the help they could get. If Thom of Trebond was not here by midday, he would go to Mistress Cooper's home and offer his own services. He had not told his visitors everything he had read in the runes, and so he vowed to reveal that tomorrow as well.

Now his mind wandered back to the girl. She had spoken in a voice that somehow had seemed familiar to him, although he did not know why. 

He would see her tomorrow perhaps, and ask her forgiveness for withholding information. Raquel suspected that she was the one who was mostly in control, as she had asked the questions and lingered after the man had left. She had walked with the unassuming poise of someone who was confident in herself, and knew how to handle herself in a tough situation. He sighed, it seemed that tonight would be another sleepless night, as he would be researching in his books, most in other languages to Common, to see if he could find any more small details that he had not known before about this variant of the Idramm gate. 

It would be a long and hard battle and somehow, he suspected his last.

Duke Roger of Conté was furious, both with himself and with Balern, his manservant had let an unknown girl into his rooms. When he had discovered that some of his journals were missing, ones which if they were seen by certain people could incriminate and destroy him, he had acted recklessly. He had used a word of power to destroy the books. And they had burned. Whoever had them would find a surprise awaiting them if they did not already know. But because of his impetuousness, Roger did not know who had stolen the books. He hoped that the thief had been badly burned. 

Roger could have reported the theft and had it investigated, but that would have raised too many questions for his liking. It was partially his fault, he had been too Gods cursed over confident and hadn't locked the books away. He had trusted too much in the fear the servants held him in. They wouldn't dare touch his belongings when it wasn't necessary, being the most powerful sorcerer in the Eastern Lands did have its advantages.

Balern could only tell him that the girl was quite short,  with dark hair. She had kept her head down turned so he could not see her eyes. But the man swore that he had only turned his back for a second to lock the workroom door, and she had been in full sight when he had checked on her.  So the servant girl was probably a hired mercenary, and an expert at the thieving. She would have fled the palace for certain, and most likely have left the capital city as well.

The Duke had checked his private room that no one apart from him had ever entered, all his spells were still in motion.

For the first time in many years, Duke Roger was disquieted and anxious, his plans however would to go ahead as usual. He would have to be far more careful. He swept out of the room, leaving a trembling Balern behind him, he had some decorating to do.

**Don't forget to review before reading the next chapters..****.**


	29. Chapter Twenty Seven, Plans

**Chapter Twenty Eight; Plans.**

****

There was one day left until they suspected Roger would strike. It was vital that Roger thought he was safe, so Alanna advised the Prince and his companions to act as normal as they could, whilst still keeping an eyes on the Conté Duke. 

Alanna was the only one who would be able to leave undetected, and she would leave to collect any information her adoptive father had and plan their strategy for the big night. 

So she had left the place in her usual disguise, a dark cloak and a Glamour beneath it. She released the Glamour when she was out of the sight of the palace guardsmen.

Alanna was greeted enthusiastically by those at the Court of the Rogue. They had no idea what their Princess was up to, and truth be told, most did not want to know. They held Alanna in high regard, doting on her like uncles upon a favoured niece, but they respected her as well; she had a firm command and a glare that could freeze a man on the spot. She could be as hard and cold as ice and had dispatched more than one traitor before. Although she loathed torture and found it repulsive, she was not above threatening to use it, and none of the thieves, male or female, doubted that she would make good her threats if pushed. 

Alanna nodded and smiled at the unusually crowed in, this was her family as well, she belonged here more than anywhere else. Old Solom came up to her.

"Are you well 'Lanna?"

"I'm fine, just a little tired." She had been up for most of the night, explaining her suspicions to her friends at the palace.

The doorkeeper watched as she walked to the thief king and they mounted the stairs together. He had a wife and children and he would hate for his little girl to look so weary and thin. And world weary, he added, for the Crooked God's sake she was only sixteen she shouldn't have those shadows under her eyes, no, nor in her eyes neither.

Alanna and George entered his rooms, to her joy Rispah and Mistress Cooper were there, sitting at the round table.

"Alanna!" Eleni stood and came to embrace her. When she felt the girl's ribs slightly under her clothes, the lady stepped back,

"You need to eat more." She rebuked. "You aren't taking care of yourself." 

Rispah looked Alanna over critically, agreeing with her Aunt, then said firmly,

"I'm getting you some food. And you are not leaving here until you have eaten it all."

Alanna  nodded sheepishly in agreement, she had missed a few too many meals over the last month from excitement or anxiety. She had never been a heavy eater to begin with and now it was beginning to show, both in her body and the fact that she was tired so much more. As they waited for Rispah to return, she recounted the tale of how she had revealed Roger's plans to the young knights, and their reactions, up to when the book had burnt.

George pushed himself back from the table.

"You did rightly lass. An' so the Duke is responsible for her majesty's illness. We didn't see that comin'."

"What worries me is that he could be sticking pins into those dolls right now." She confessed.

"I think our smilin' friend will wait." He reassured her. "He hasn't got this far to rush into things on a suspicion. He'll be patient and wait."

"So what are we going to do?" George's mother asked.

"I hope we can break the Gate before he activates it. Jon might be able to do that; he has the Gift."

"So do you."  Mistress Cooper reminded her. The girl nodded,

"True, but I suspect I'll be busy fighting off the allies Roger has, he'll have men posing as guests there no doubt.

"You'll have to mingle then." George said, accepting the plate from Rispah. who had just entered. Alanna look a bite from the bread on her own plate.

"I thought I'd go as a servant again."

"Nay. Pages and Squire's will be servin'."

"You'll have to go as a guest then." Rispah declared, sitting down heavily. "An' you'll need a dress."

"Oh no, if I go as a lady I'll have to be formally introduced. Otherwise they will definitely suspect an unknown lady, especially when Roger will be on the lookout for a brown haired girl.

"So go as yourself. Goddess knows you've been that little enough recently." Eleni advised, "They wont recognise you."

Alanna began to protest.

"Girl, it's time that you accepted that ye're a noble as much as you are Princess here." George counselled curtly, "You must do it someday."

She sighed, 

"How will I get a dress so soon?"

"I know Kuri Tailor works fast. She'll get you fixed up properly. Put on a dress instead of that skirt and We'll go now."

"Let us finish planning first mother." George said.

They conferred for a good half hour, before a quiet knock interrupted them. When the door opened, Master Raquel stepped over the threshold. He was greeted warily, but soon as down next to Eleni, a bit closer than was necessary, Alanna noted, amused. He joined in the planning, adding advice where he could. His associate would be here in time, and could easily get access into the ball with him. They would concentrate on the magical battle instead of the physical one, engaging Roger into a magical duel in a hope to drain his power.

They made many plans in the late morning, stretching into early afternoon, plans for different situations, as they did not know their enemy's strategies.

George said he might be able to persuade some Rogues to help fight the Duke, and he could provide some weapons. All the knights at the ball would have their own swords anyway, and the others at the palace could raid the armoury there and conceal the weapons in the Queen's hall and the banqueting room.

Alanna was to tell the men the plans then they would have to muddle their way through if something unexpected came up, as it was bound to. She had seen Jonathon in action, before he had met her, he was a born leader and his friends easily switched between leaders and followers.

George could explain the situation to Liam if he returned in time, he was currently in Port Caynn, visiting an old acquaintance, half a day's ride away.

At the third bell, the conspirators parted company; they could do no more now. And they all had tasks to do and now they went to fulfil them.

Alanna sighed as she stepped onto the raised dressmaker's platform, dressed only in a breastband and loin cloth. The bronze haired lady, ran a knotted cord around her body as she grimaced and called out the measurements to Eleni Cooper, who was sitting on a stool nearby. The two women chatted happily, they were fellow healers and had been friends for a long time. The girl stood there, stoic and silent, as she pulled on the dress Mistress Cooper had insisted that she wear. Mistress Kuri, pulled a sheaf of designs out of a drawer and pieces of fabric, which she held up to Alanna's face. Eventually they decided on a pale lilac colour, which would look good on her, while not being too showy.

The design of the gown was harder. Alanna was emphatic on a decently high neckline. The healers made several new sketches before deciding on one that suited them all, to a degree, as a compromise.

Then Alanna and Eleni were shooed out the door, so Mistress Tailor could begin her work. She had promised to have the dress ready by noon the next day, and if she was to meet that deadline, she needed to start work immediately.

While Alanna inspected some weapons, the older woman bought several bundles of herbs, she had no doubt that her healing skills would be needed very soon, and she would need to prepare the potions and draughts for the wounded. She left the red head with a hug, telling her to come and prepare for the ball at two o'clock tomorrow.

Alanna wandered around for a little while before making her way back to the Dancing Dove. This whole city, and indeed the country was relying on her and her friends, a although they didn't know it. Her heart was weighed down with that knowledge. She had been shunned by those she was trying to save, and yet... Here she was, risking all she had for them.

Moonlight was already saddled and waiting for her when she arrived back at the inn. George stood beside the golden mare, a hand resting gently on her withers. Wordlessly he gave her a boot up, and watched her carefully as she gathered the reins into her hands.

"Go well Alanna." 

She did not respond to his comment, just saying,

"'Till tomorrow then."

"Aye, tomorrow." He slapped Moonlight's hindquarters as her rider urged her into a trot.

When she reached the edge of the city she did not turn up palace way at one, instead she urged Moonlight into a gallop, not caring where she was going. Her hood fell back and the wind created by their speed whipped through her hair and clothes, stretching them out behind her. She rode hard, wishing that she could go fast enough and far enough to leave all her problems and worries behind.  Slowing her faithful steed to a trot, they enter the Royal forest. She laughed at herself, even if she could leave her current set of problems behind her, she would quickly encounter another.

Suddenly a cold, white light flared in front of her, and a volley of angry shouts followed it. She slipped from Moonlight's saddle and crept closer on foot.

A camp had been set up in the trees. Men in Eldorne colours, and others in ones she didn't recognise sat in front of a blazing fire. The man standing before the flames had obviously the cause of the flash of light, he was mage and had just lit the damp wood. 

Alanna counted the men, she made it around seven score in total. She double checked and came back to the same total. Around one hundred and fourteen men were sitting a mile and a half from the gates of the palace.

Before she could be discovered, she hurried back to her horse, careful not to stand on any twigs that might crack and give her away. The men had to know about this; they had not expected so many to oppose them. 

Now Liam and any members of their court George could persuade to fight with them would be vital.

As soon as they were out from under the trees, Moonlight, with no urging from her rider, ran with all her speed, back to the palace.


	30. Chapter Twenty Eight, Belonging

**Chapter Twenty Nine; Belonging.**

****

Alanna tended to her mare, even though her news was urgent. Moonlight would be carrying her far in the next few days, so she deserved a good rub down while there was time for it. 

After caring for her horse, Alanna hurried up the hill to the palace then ran up the stairs, praying that the knights would be in their rooms. She searched Jonathon's with no success, and eventually found the others' rooms as well, with the same result. Muttering to herself in annoyance she went back to her own room; they were probably in the mess hall eating.

When they returned, they found her sitting on her bed, walls of protection up around the room. She was scanning Roger's books for anything that they had missed that might help them, and tending to her weapons. Her sword lay, unsheathed, beside her on the blanket. It was a beautiful weapon, the blade shining a clear silver, the hilt was plated gold, inlaid with silver wire for a grip. The pommel held an amethyst, as did the cross guard. Some of her daggers bore the same design, without the gems and in more common metals, while others were less ornate. She laid the last knife, now razor sharp down on her pillow next to its fellows and turned the page before tending to her crossbow, oiling the string and checking the groove. The protective walls flickered and died.

"There are an extra hundred and forty men, near a I can make it, camping in the Royal Forest. They wear Eldorne colours." 

The men started, Alanna had given no sign that she even knew that they were there.

"Eldorne?" Raoul asked. She nodded in reply, "That'll explain why Delia was after you so much then Jon."

"Delia? She's in league with Roger?" Jon said, incredulously,

Alanna nodded once more and explained what she had seen last night at the feast between the Duke and Delia. Alex's mouth tightened.

"Is there no one in the palace we can trust?"

"Stephan Groomsman, one of the ostlers. He's a Rogue and faithful. You could always trust their Majesties and Duke Gareth, I somehow doubt they would be in on Roger's plans to kill them."

"Myles." Gary added. "He was one of the dolls as well."

"And is looking after your fief too." Jonathon looked pointedly at Alanna.

"Gods bless it!" She exploded. "Will you all please stop telling me how I really am a noble and belong here at court."

"But you do." Jon was perfectly calm to her blazing rage.

"No, I don't! I don't belong anywhere as a noble or a lady. I haven't for a long time now. Four years Jon. Four years!"

Raoul whispered in Alex's ear, careful not to interrupt the argument,

"Do you know what they are talking about?" 

Alex shook his head, 

"Not a clue." He relayed the question the Gary who just shrugged.

"You've belonged here even after that Alanna; for three years, as my healer."

"I don't belong at that palace Jonathon, and that's that."

"You do Alanna. You were born to it, like me, Like Gary, Like Alex, like Raoul."

"What if I don't want to be?" She sat on the bed, the anger leaving her eyes, although pain came swiftly to replace it. Jon came to sit beside her on the bed, carefully avoiding the blades, as his friends took the hint and left quietly.

"But you were. Nothing can change that." He took one of her hands and held it in his larger one. "What would you rather do then?"

"Than be a noble lady?" she laughed bitterly, "To study Shang. Or to be a noble boy so I could train as a knight. Or that I could just be Alanna, Princess of the Rogue than be Alanna, previously of Trebond, now possibly of Silvereves."

"Well I for one am glad that you're a noble. Otherwise I would have never met you. If it wasn't for you, we would all be dead by tomorrow night." He made her look at him. "Thank you Alanna."

"We still could all be dead by tomorrow night." she warned.

"But at least we will have a fighting chance now." He said

Jon stood, pulling her up with him, then bent slightly and kissed her on the cheek. 

"Sweet dreams my Lady." his half grin would remain in her mind for a long time.

"'Night Jon." She smiled as he shut their connecting door. 

She moved all the weapons into her trunk and locked it, collapsing on her bed. Thanks to the Prince she now had a lot more to think about that night than just the upcoming battle.

*Ducks weapons thrown at her by angry A/G fans* don't hurt me!! Remember how it happened in the books- A/J then A/L then A/G. 

***Now ducks missiles from previously happy A/J fans* not that I'm saying it's going to happen that way of course…**

OK, throwing the shovel away now. Remember my promise, that if it is at all possible, I will write and A/J and an A/G ending to keep all of you happy. You people are never satisfied are you??


	31. Chapter Twenty Nine, Before Battle

**Chapter Thirty, Before Battle.**

****

Alanna stood before a three way mirror, two hours before the Midwinter ball would begin. Every reputable inn within the city limits was full with nobles visiting for the ball. Needless to say, the Dancing Dove was not crowded. The only people in the inn were those who knew about the plans at the palace. 

Some of the men and women were already in position at the palace, as servants and as soldiers in the Palace Guard or King's Own. The others were downstairs preparing. They were all grim faced, perhaps fourteen of them in total, but they were the best in the city. Some were assassins, others murderers but all were ready for a hard night's fighting.  Much had changed since Alanna had come to Corus, although they had always known women were powerful in their own right, she had proved that they could also fight (and beat) them easily. And now all of them, male and female, were fighting in a fight that was hardly their own.

She turned from side to side, seeing herself at all angles.

"I look stupid." Rispah and Mistress Cooper sat her down in a chair, she had finally mastered the curtsey and graceful movements that were taken for granted from the court ladies. The two began to brush cosmetics over her eyelids and lips, although nothing to dramatic. A dark brown served as an eyeshadow and a simple gloss went on her lips.

At last they allowed her to stand once more, when her hair and been brushed until it shone and pulled into a simple style.

"Great Mother!" She breathed, "Is that me?"

"Aye lass." Rispah placed a hand on each of her shoulders, "that's you."

Eleni handed her a dagger, the first part of her armoury.

"Now, start loading up." Alanna nodded, accepting the weapon and slipped it into a wrist sheath.

The Dragon knocked on the door and was admitted into the women's rooms a few minutes later.

"Hello Liam." Alanna greeted him, "Can you pass me that last throwing knife from behind you please?"

"Here you go." he picked up the knife, dwarfed in his large hand, and gave it to her. She took it from his palm and slid it into her soft leather boot.

"Carrying so much?" his eyes twinkled a deep green.

"It's not all for me. Others will need weapons as well if they are unarmed."

"True kitten." he looked her up and down, "Though I don't think I should be calling you a kitten for much longer. You're all grown up."

The girl laughed, and checked the room for anything she had left behind, heading for the door.

"What will you call me then?" she asked, "'Cat'?"

"No." He said slowly, "Something fiercer I think." She laughed again as he draped her cloak over her shoulders. She fastened it in the fashion of a noble; a silver chain laid across her upper chest and was fastened at the other side with a brooch.

She stepped into the main room. George was sitting in his huge chair talking with Master Raquel. His student was resting until the last possible moment before the ball began, but he was there, the man assured them. 

There was just under an hour until the ball would begin. The highest ranking nobles would already be at the palace, feasting. But some that Roger wanted there had not arrived yet. Some Rogues had led the Provost away from the palace and he would only be returning half an hour into the ball.

Jon and the others would also be in the hall, as Prince and Knights of the realm. Messenger birds had flown back and forth all day, using Stephan as the go-between. All their plans were ready and the preparations were in place. Now all they had to do was wait for Roger to make his move. 

But at the moment it was time for Alanna to get in position at the palace. She pulled her cloak hood up into its usual position on top of her head and walked outside. She soothed her horse, rubbing the side of her neck slowly in circles. Liam gave her a boost up into the awkward side saddle. In order for their plans to succeed every detail would have to be perfect and correct.

The men heaved themselves onto horses or began trudging up the street. It was a clear night, the full midwinter moon shone as brightly as a beacon upon the small party as they climbed the hill towards the palace.

Well, not long to go now, until the end of this and the awards. Expect that very soon.

**HuntressDiana**


	32. Chapter Thirty, Lady Alanna of Silvereve...

**Chapter Thirty One, Lady Alanna of Silvereves and Trebond.**

****

Alanna shed her cloak at the last possible moment; she wanted to avoid recognition for as long as she could make it. A page took her cloak and bowed to her as she thanked him. As the herald nodded to her, Alanna took a deep breath and laid her palm on Liam's arm. 

They were both clothed in great finery, Alanna's dress was the pale lilac chosen at Mistress Tailor's and trimmed in silver. It was a simple design, with a square neckline that just skimmed the top of her breasts. The sleeves were wide, good for hiding daggers in, and the skirt was wide enough so she could kick and move around easily. She shifted uncomfortably as the herald looked her over slowly, blushing crimson. She hated moments like these, and although the dress was very pretty, she did wish it wasn't quite so tight or low. 

The emerald tunic and white shirt Liam wore made his hair flame brilliantly and contrasted against the green hose.

 He gave their names to the herald, whose eyes widened slightly in surprise then, before Alanna could ask what the Dragon had said, he stepped forward into the hall and hit the floor with this wooden staff, capped with iron, three times.

"Liam Ironarm, Dragon of the Shang order of fighters." That was enough to make most of the room stare. But the herald continued after a breath, his voice carrying over the whole hall. "And Lady Alanna of Silvereves and Trebond."

Her eyes opened wide, then narrowed as she turned to glare at Liam.

"Smile Kitten, you can kill me later." he squeezed her hand in reassurance. She squeezed back, only far harder. But still she stepped out behind the Dragon, and walked out into the hall beside him. 

The King and Queen stood, with a rustle of silks and fine cloth. Jonathon stood as well on the dais. A broad smile lit his face as they walked down the pathway that had been cleared for them to the thrones. 

Liam bowed deeply as Alanna spread her skirts and, silently thanking Eleni and Rispah for her etiquette lessons, curtsied gracefully. As she lifted her head, the expression she saw in Jon's eyes made her breath catch in her throat.

"Lady Alanna, please rise." The King spoke quietly and she stood fully from the curtsey. 

The other revellers moved away, loosing interest as the music grew louder again and they could no longer hear the conversation.

"Do you lay claim to the title and fief of Silvereves?" King Roald asked formally.

"No sire," She answered respectfully, "My companion," she shot a glare towards Liam, he should have announced her as Alex's cousin, as none of Alex's relatives where present at the ball, and his family tree was not very well known. "gave that title unknown to me."

"Your majesty," The Dragon broke in, bowing slightly in deference, "The Lady Alanna was his highness' healer."

"Jonathon?" Queen Lianne asked her son as she sank into her chair.

"It was Lady Alanna who cured me." He said simply.

"Then Lady Alanna, you have our thanks." Roald said warmly, "We shall require an audience with you tomorrow at noon."

"Yes your majesty." Alanna curtsied again at the monarchs sat down. She felt Liam release her hand at last and she rose once more. With a private smile she thanked any gods who were in hearing range that she hadn't offended the King and Queen and that she hadn't tripped over.

She backed away, followed by Liam, until Prince Jonathon bowed to her, and held out his hand.

"Would you care to dance my Lady?" Liam pushed her back towards him surreptitiously. Smiling, somewhat forcibly, she placed her hand in his. The pair bowed to each other, before Jon pulled her out onto the dance floor.

"How is everything going so far?" She asked, trying to look as if they were just exchanging court pleasantries.

"Everyone and everything is in place." He assured her, his eyes had not lost their admiring gaze. "You look beautiful Alanna." 

She felt her cheeks reddening as he looked her up and down frankly before meeting he eyes once more.

Suddenly all the fittings she had been forced to endure yesterday and today seemed worth it. She followed Jon's movements in the dance as best she could, letting him lead her. His movements were smooth and practised, but absent minded. His eyes roved around the room, double checking that everything really was ready and in position. He nodded at her, 

"We're as ready as we can be."

Alanna pointedly inclined her head and her gaze to the gallery above. All were full to overflowing with men and a few women, mostly cloaked. But the occasional flash of metal Jon could now see, were the hilts of swords and daggers. To anyone who was not expecting it, the glimpses of silver and copper would look like belt buckles and brooches. Swords were not that uncommon at the ball anyway, all the noble men wore one.

"We are ready too." Alanna said seriously, with a tinge of pride surfacing in her voice.

Now they were over the other side of the room to the dais and their majesties and no one was watching them with more than idle curiosity, they stopped dancing and walked to the side.

"How long before the attack Alanna?" Jon questioned.

"How should I know?" She replied archly, then softened her tone. "Around midnight possibly."

"That's another hour yet." He sighed, "The waiting is the worst part." 

As she agreed, Gary swept down upon them.

"Lady Delia is looking for you Jon." The prince groaned and let himself be dragged away, glaring at Alanna who was not hiding her amusement at his expense very well.

They had not skirted around the dancers for long when a hand caught his shoulder.

"Your highness. I am Master Raquel."

"I am honoured to meet you, my Lord." Jon replied, knowing what the man was really saying. As the older man bowed, another man came from behind him.

"This is my companion, Master Thom of Trebond. We only just arrived at the ball." Jon froze at that, as the red headed man bowed stiffly at the waist.

"Of Trebond?" he queried, Gary cast him a strange look.

"Yes your highness, I am Lord Thom of Trebond."

"Wait here please." Jon requested, then pushed through the crowds until he reached Alanna's side.

"Come with me." She followed curiously, glad to be rid of the crowd of ladies and knights gathering around her.

"What is it?" 

He pulled her up behind him and released her arm. Gary was talking to the two masters, filling them in on any new developments until his cousin interrupted.

"Master Thom? May I present to you your sister?"

He heard a muffled gasp from behind him, as Thom swivelled to face him, 

"I beg your pardon your highness, but I have no sister."


	33. Chapter Thirty One, A beginning

**Chapter Thirty Two; A beginning...**

****

This may explain Thom's reaction at the end of the last chapter… 

Alanna bit her lip. Her face was completely ashen. In a rustle of cloth, she turned and fled before Thom had fully turned around.

"You have no sister?" Gary questioned, his agile mind suddenly adding up a lot of things about Alanna that had been puzzling him for some time.

"Not any more. She died when I was twelve."

Alanna fled to a balcony, she didn't care which one, as long as she was out of that hall. She leaned on the stone wall, breathing heavily. She was profoundly grateful that the terrace was empty. She braced her arms firmly against the parapet, leaning forwards dangerously far. The ground seemed to be spinning crazily beneath her.

To know that her brother had abandoned and betrayed her was one thing, but to hear his cold voice deny her existence altogether.... _'I have no sister'_ It crushed her. The breath inside her lungs burned. _'I have no sister'_ the words echoed around her head hollowly, _'I have no sister'_.

A hand landed on the wall at the edge of her vision.

"Why did you do that Jon?" She asked, sinking down onto the seat, feeling the fight flow out of her, leaving a bone deep sorrow and weariness. "You know what happened."

He took a deep breath and, staring deep out into the gardens, spoke quietly.

"You don't."

"I don't what?" She asked, confused.

"Know the whole story."

"Really?" She said, her voice flat when it should have been full of emotion. Her words were sarcastic, while her tone carried no inflection what so ever. "I seem to remember being there."

"I talked to Thom in there." He continued.

"Look Jon, I don't care. I just don't care any more." It was true; she couldn't seem to summon the energy needed to care. It all seemed so, detracted, as if all this was taking place to someone else, and she was just a spectator. She stood to leave, only to find her way blocked.

"Alanna?" His face was wondering. If possible she paled even more than she already had.

"Yes Lord Thom. I am Alanna." Her voice was as cutting as the daggers she hid beneath her skirt. He flinched visibly as she pushed past him, heading from the glass doors behind him, leading back into the hall. As she began to pull open the doors, he cried out to her back.

"They told me you were dead!"

She froze in her tracks, then allowed the doors to close. Jon could see her face reflected in the glass. Her eyes were bright and fierce, but the ice in them was thawing. Her expression was tight and she worried at her bottom lip with her teeth. Slowly, as she breathed out, her eyes closed. When she opened them again, turning to face them, her expression was clear and blank.

"What?"

Thom looked at her imploringly, 

"Father told me you were dead. He said that you and Coram were ambushed as you rode to Corus. Coram survived. You didn't."

"He said that?" Thom nodded mutely, and she explained, "He disinherited me and told me you said it was my idea and I forced you into it. You supported him in getting rid of me." 

It looked like years of pain were wiped away from them both as Jonathon looked on. Thom's arrogant air began to fade as joy replaced it. Alanna still looked sceptical, but a smile was creeping on her face as she regarded her twin's expression changing. Jon left quietly, happy for his friend. She wasn't as alone as she had thought herself.

Outside on the balcony, the two stood a bit awkwardly, until they laughed at each other and embraced. They were still laughing as they clung to each other and neither noticed the wet drops rolling down their cheeks. 

A man burst out of the hall.

"My lady!" Alanna broke from Thom's hold, although she kept a hold on his arm "They've begun Princess. The Eldorne lot are here."

She felt her brother start in surprise as he heard her title.

"I'll be there in a second Shem." She dismissed the man to throw himself back into the fight.

"I have to go Thom."

"So you're the girl who stole the books."

"How do you know about that?" She asked, surprised.

"Master Raquel called me here. I'm to fight the Conté Duke's Gate of Idramm."

"You're the youngest master?" Her eyes were wide.

"Yes." He gestured down at his master's robe.

"Well... congratulations."

"Thank you."  A scream came from the direction of the hall/

"We better get in there." Alanna said, moving towards the doors.

The twins approached the entrance together. Thom blasted the door from its hinges and they sprinted in, grinned at each other then ran their separate ways.

Alanna surveyed the battle ground from her position upon a trestle table which had held food. Now that food was scattered over the floor as people panicked. 

Duke Roger's forces had been surprised by the resistance of those at the palace. She spotted Raoul and Gary in the thick of the fighting. 

Alex and Jon were protecting the King and Queen by the thrones. Duke Gareth was by them as well, defending the steps with his sword flashing like lightning.

Thom had begun to chant over a group of men, held together by some sort of magic, Eleni's work she guessed, spotting the woman behind a pillar.

Frightened noble men and women fled through the main doors, up the stairs.

But where was Roger of Conté? He did not seem to have arrived yet.

Alanna jumped down from the table, drawing her sword, and a dagger. She fought her way brutally to Jon's side. She slid the dagger between a man of arms' ribs as he leered at her. The Prince and his companions were beset by a large number of the enemy. She stabbed another man and joined the protective circle. Duke Gareth and the King and Queen looked at her oddly. She simply saluted the Duke, knowing his reputation as the finest swordsman at court and his position, not only as Prime Minister, but also as King's Champion. She also bowed slightly to the monarchs and joined the fight. She fought several ways at once: keeping an eye out for Roger, kicking a sword away as she drew another dagger and running the man through with it. 

She was able to sense her twin again, she didn't even try to hide or stop the grin that spread its way across her face. The old bond which had been ruthlessly ripped apart when the pair had been separated, was now mending fast. 

She fought mechanically, not thinking about the men she was cutting down, and not thinking about the men whose blood stained the white rug beneath her feet.  When she became in control of her movements again, she found herself in the centre of a circle of opponents. She ducked most of the blow and stabbed and thrust with her

sword. With her other hand, she fumbled for a knife, the other having been knocked from her grasp, and received a slash across the shoulder for her pains. She didn't bother trying any fancy tricks, this wasn't practise or fencing. This was to the death. If she could wound an assailant, then she effectively put him out of the battle. One of the others could put him out of his misery later.

Her dagger collided with a man's ribs and locked there. The hilt was pulled out of her hand as he crumpled to the ground. With one hand free, she was able to kick far easier. 

Up until now, the men had been surprised by a woman who could fight. But now they were overcoming their consternation and Alanna was beginning to have a harder time fighting them. She was becoming engaged in longer fights, with fewer opponents. 

She was battling a man in Eldorne colours. He was wary and kept her at sword's length. Alanna growled deep in his throat. She didn't have time for this. But the man was a good fighter and every second she spent focusing on him, others could attack her unprotected back and sides. She leaned away from his stroke, then kicked up, her foot knocking his chin back and her sword went through his body. A net of purple fire caught a man who was in the act of jumping down upon her from a tabletop. 

"Thanks Thom!" She called. Her twin nodded at her as she moved away, then he released the man to drop to the floor, his life choked out of him.

Thom then rejoined the conflict, looking around for his opponent; Duke Roger. As he scanned the room, his eye landed upon his sister. She had fought her way back to the circle protecting the King and Queen. He could see her arguing with Prince Jonathon, who seemed to be quite friendly with her when he saw them earlier. She was trying to push him back into the middle of the protective group, even as she duelled a man wearing the uniform of a manservant.

"Balern!" Alanna's eyes were as cold as ice. "We meet again."

"I don't know you wench." he spat.

"Really?" Before Balern's eyes her complexion flickered and transformed into that of the girl who had cleaned his master's room and stolen his books; dark skinned and black haired, then into the girl who had bumped into him and stolen his keys.

"You!" 

Alanna crouched into a fighting stance.

"Yes. Me." 

He launched himself at her, knocking her to the floor. She pulled herself out from underneath his body, her sword wedged irretrievably in his body. His blood had stained her palm and her skirt was ripped from the downward swing of his blade. She wiped her mouth with the clean back of her hand and kicked his body disdainfully.

A hand landed on her shoulder and Alanna spun, presenting her dagger to her attacker's throat.

"Jon!" She lowered the blade. "You could have been wearing this! I could have killed you."

"Sorry." He nodded to the manservant's body. "That'll teach him to knock around a defenceless girl."

"I'm not exactly..." An arrow flew past her shoulder, cutting her off mid sentence. Startled by the arrow, she turned, ready to repel an attack. A bowman stood twenty feet away, in the gallery. As he put another arrow to the string, Alanna leapt on top of Jon, and pushed him out of harm's way. The arrow shattered on the steps where they had been standing. Alanna rolled to her feet at once, turning to see if the Prince was all right, and was shocked to see an arrow standing out from his side.

**Another cliffhanger hee hee hee!!**

You can now go to my Awards site; The Tortallian Heroes Awards. Where you can see what stories have been nominated and nominate your own. If you do wish to nominate one, fill in the form and I will reply to it within the week. If you do not receive this reply then submit it again a fortnight later, this will be because the site is full. I will free some space and then you may try again. But read the rules first!!

**Enjoy!**

**HuntressDiana**


	34. Chapter Thirty Two, Luck

****

Chapter Thirty three; Luck.

Ok, not even I would be mean enough to leave that cliffhanger for so long as it was left. The site wouldn't let me update!! So am really sorry, I have been trying every day, now I can update (obviously) I hope you enjoy it!

Frantically Alanna scanned the area around them, Jon was conscious, but surprised and weakened by the arrow. The bolt had hit nothing important by the looks of it, but was imbedded deeply into one of the big muscles in his abdomen. Alanna seized a crossbow and quiver from a dead, or dying, man. She thanked the gods that the string was in place and not sticky with blood. She fumbled with a bolt, setting it in the notch, then swung the bow up to her shoulder, and she fired, her finger curling around the trigger. 

The assassin fell from his perch. Carefully, standing over her prince, she surveyed the hall for any more archers. There were four, and coldly, she brought them down with a bolt each. She used up the rest of the quiver, save one, aiming carefully and with a calculated air, shooting the best fighters, or those in places where the press of battle was thickest. She nocked the last bolt into the bow.

"Gary! Your Grace!" The two Gareths fought their way over to her side.

"I need to get Jon out of here." She saw the Duke start at her familiar tone about the Prince. For the moment she ignored him, asking instead "Where are their majesties?"

"We got them away to safety while you were out there. A company of the Own is with them." Even as they spoke, Jon was struggling to get to his feet in the middle of their protecting circle and they were being attacked from all sides. Most of their conversation was in the form of calls over the shoulder, or in a moment's respite from the fighting.

"Go. We will protect you." Gareth the Elder ordered. Raoul and a few of the King's Own joined them, forming a circle around Alanna as she supported Jon and half carried him away from the main bulk of the fighting. He protested, but she ignored him as she opened a concealed door, used only by servants, and pulled him through it, shutting it behind them. They were alone in a dark corridor, the door behind them dulling the noise of battle.

They hurried along the corridor until they came out into a large room, filled with cases and soft crystal lights illuminating the hall. 

"Where are we?" Alanna asked.

"The library." Jon replied, sitting down on the floor. Alanna drew her belt knife. The arrows had passed out through his back and she was astounded that he was still able to walk. A blue spark darting over the wound caught her attention. She'd forgotten that he had the Gift. As soon as he had been wounded, he had probably set his magic onto the wound to heal it and to numb the pain. Quickly she cut off the arrow head and the fletching, being careful not to move the shaft any more than was necessary.

"I've got to pull this out." she wrapped her hand around the part protruding out his back. "On the count of three..." 

Jon nodded, biting his lip and clenching his fists in anticipation

"One... Two..." She yanked the shaft through at the same angle it had entered at. He cried out slightly in pain and shock.

"I hate it when you do that." He gritted out through his teeth, breathing hard to suppress some of the pain.

Alanna pulled his shirt aside and placed her hand on top of the wound, feeling the muscle binding beneath her palm, the blood clotting and the skin mending. She used part of her underskirt to bind the now far smaller wound. Jon moved around slightly, twisting from side to side, testing his flexibility.

"Thanks Alanna!" He stood again very close to her. As she was about to speak, a flash of orange light came from their right. Immediately, acting on pure reflex, she grabbed the crossbow from where it hung at her side and aimed it in that direction.

"Roger." Jon said quietly. She nodded, lowering the bow slightly, then letting it fall back to her side as no threat seemed to be emerging.

"I better go." he said "I need to go back to the hall."

"Aren't you coming with me?" She asked, 

"No." He bent down and retrieved his sword, then handed it to her, stepping closer as he did so. "This is your fight I think. My fight is back there." 

She gave his sword back to him, curling his fingers around the hilt when he did not accept it at once.

" I think so too." She agreed, readying herself to find Duke Roger, her belt knife in her hand and the crossbow still primed. 

As she walked away, she smiled over her shoulder at him.

"Good luck Jon." 

He stiffened, as if her words had some hidden meaning that even she did not understand. As she continued to leave, she heard him follow her and then felt him clasp her upper arm. 

"Alanna..."

When she turned around to see what he wanted, she saw him standing very close to her. 

Slowly Jon's face descended towards her. His lips were soft and gentle as they closed over hers. Alanna gasped slightly in surprise, but did not back away as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Then, Jonathon stepped away and looked down at her, with a look in his eyes and a smile on his face that took her breath away.

"What was that for?" He lifted a hand and brushed her cheek tenderly.

"Midwinter Luck Alanna." 

With another smile and a gentle brush of his lips against hers once more, to which she responded slightly, placing her hand on his upper arm, Jon left. Before he opened the door back into the battle he gave her a wry smile and a salute.

"Midwinter luck Jon." She called to him.

He smiled openly at her, and Alanna felt her own mouth curve upwards in reply, before he left to rejoin his battle and she went to find hers.


	35. Chapter Thirty Three, Battle

**Chapter Thirty Four; Battle.**

**This is for every one who stuck up for me over the last few days, especially Sunny1388, Xirleb70, Karly Ann 134 and Cherry Alanna. Also Storm muse; It's ok. And Winged Seraphin for finally trusting me enough to update! I really should be re reading Lord of the Flies and revising for my exams, while I'm doing this, but hey, who cares?**

**I love you all!**

Alanna followed the constant flashes of orange light. She skirted the hall, walking on the long balcony that stretched along the eastern edge of the palace wall. She saw women cowering in the gardens below. In disgust for these weak minded, frail creatures, she leant over the parapet and called down directions to the stables where they would at least be out of sight. 

A tall, blonde haired woman called back, 

"Come down! Come down and show us."

Alanna shook her head to the woman's urgings, just repeating the directions. The lady looked up at her for a while, then took command of the little group, herding them along the path.

"Lady. You shouldn't be here." A man's voice came from behind her, and a hand landed on her shoulder, urging her towards the hall and the stairway back the way she had come. She turned to face her 'saviour'.

"Ah Alanna!" Master Raquel said, "I didn't recognise you." 

She smiled at the older man, then let the smile fall, asking seriously,

"Have you seen Duke Roger?"

"He's around there." The Master pointed behind him. "On the grand balcony. We've been trying to block his spells from entering the hall, and so activating the gate. He didn't seem to expect our presence here at all. Congratulations are due to you I suspect for that."

She accepted the old man's praise absentmindedly, thinking furiously. The grand balcony was separated from those adjacent to it by a gap of fifteen feet at least. Too far for her to jump and have any certainty of making it.

She glanced into the ballroom to see if she could get onto the balcony that way. Liam was close, fighting with his weapons; a sword and a hand axe, as well as with his body, Shang style. George was fighting by Jonathon's side, deeper into the hall, at the very centre, flanked by Gary and another man, in the blue and silver uniform of the King's Own. She quelled the smile that was emerging on her face as she watched. Looking back to the balcony entrance she saw about thirteen men there, fully armed. Out on the balcony, yet more men surrounded the tall Duke. 

A gnarled oak tree grew by where she was standing. Carefully and slowly, she stepped off the balcony and grabbing onto what looked like a sturdy limb, she tested it a few times, then swung herself into the tree. Her skirt caught on a sharp branch and tore. She ignored the rip and climbed deeper into the tree's leaves.

There she sat for a while, assembling her crossbow once more. She studied the way the Duke moved and how many men there were grouped around him. She edged forwards from where she was sitting, astride a thick branch, until she had a clear sight out through the green of the tree's canopy. Carefully, she hadn't got this far to fail through simple carelessness. She set the stock of the crossbow in the hollow of her shoulder. The Duke stood half a head taller than any of the other men. But they swarmed around him relentlessly, preventing any decent aim or shot. Roger shouted a command, clear and precise, sending some of his guards into the hall. The tide had turned.

When Jon left Alanna in the library, he had rallied the remaining knights and lords in the hall to him. Duke Gareth led one faction to secure the main doors. The men who were Gifted ran to combat the mages Duke Roger had among his men. A few stood by Eleni and Rispah, who were working thread magic, their lips and hands in continuous motions as they unravelled thread from what ever they could reach to tie knots in, knotting groups of the enemy together. These men were then secured more firmly and immobilised by the palace mage, leaving the women free to hamper more of the attack. The soldiers protecting the two Rogue women obviously had no idea who they were, but they were helping them stay alive so none of the men were going to shy away from protecting them.

Jon spotted George and the Dragon fighting furiously. He sent several men at arms to their aid. George stepped back out of the melee for a second to regain his breath, she grinned and waved at Jon, before throwing himself back into the fray once more, a knife in each hand.

Jonathon surveyed the battleground before him. They were lucky that they had been warned and were prepared for the attack. The weapons Alex and Raoul had hidden in the ornamental chests beside the thrones and in the corners, concealed by drapes, were vital. Although the noble men always wore a sword, as did the pages and squires, the servants didn't. They had grabbed whatever they could get their hands on and wield effectively.

But despite their best efforts, some were dead. A few of the Own were down, some of the palace guards and several noble and servants were also dead. Many had been shot clean through with arrows, either a longbow or a crossbow from the look of it. Jon scanned the hall for the hidden archers. He spotted one, lodged in between two pillars at the side of the gallery. But then he realised that the man was dead, or in any instance, incapable of shooting another bolt. 

Alanna had taken them all down he remembered, as his eyes roved the upper levels of the hall anyway, after one had shot him. His side was completely healed now though, sore and objecting to the swift regeneration of skin and tissue, but healed.  Alanna was a powerful healer; he had a lot to repay her for. A man crumpled and fell before him and Jonathon leapt into the gap of the circle and was immediately engaged in a ferocious battle.

She was ready; an assassin crouched in the dark. She felt a momentary pang of conscience for shooting a man in the back, but she suppressed that feeling swiftly. This man had paid men to kill Jon, and they would have slit his throat in the dark easily, and with no regrets. If she didn't stop both him and them, more would die. So she fingered the last bolt in her crossbow, leaving the empty quiver hanging on a convenient branch. She stroked the length of the arrow's shaft, imbuing it with her magic. There was no spell for what she wanted to do, but her force of will and brute power would have to serve. She pushed the violet fires of her Gift deep into the grain of the wood and the metal arrowhead.  Roger would be sure to have a magical shield erected around him. She knew there was no chance of this shot actually touching him at all, but she hoped it might breach his circle of protection.

Still she aimed carefully, waiting for the right moment, For a split second, a man moved restlessly to and fro and Alanna fired before her mind could even process what she had seen. The bolt flew straight between two guardsmen, and collided with something solid a foot away from Duke Roger's body. A slight shimmer lit the air as the bolt hovered at waist height above the ground. Suddenly it burst into flames as a brightly coloured stream of magic hit the small breach her arrow had caused. The barrier split apart under the stress of the two Masters' combined power. Roger fought to maintain the spell, but his face began to loose its confident expression. Slowly, bit by bit, his magic stuttered and failed, but he somehow managed to summon a huge burst of energy and to throw it at the two Masters. 

The three had all used up most of their Gift, defying the others. Roger however, also had far more spells going on at once. That had weakened his powers, so this last ditch effort of defiance almost emptied him. His burst of magic caught Thom and Raquel unawares, and propelled them backwards, knocking them out of the balcony and they fell to the palace gardens far below.

"Thom!" Alanna leapt from her hiding place. Only then did she realise her mistake. She was still holding the crossbow. Duke Roger's eyes alighted upon her, spotting the crossbow and he glanced down at the arrow that had broken his barrier, allowing the mages to drain his Gift.

"Kill her." He ordered coldly, turning his back to them and facing the hall, gripping his dagger tightly.

A loud masculine cry made him turn back around. 

The girl had broken her crossbow over one of the men's heads, leaving him unconscious on the floor.

"Not so easy is it?" She asked him, before throwing a knife into the last Eldorne man's neck. At this he turned fully around and devoted his entire attention to the fight going on out here on the balcony. The girl was a whirlwind, receiving a few hits, but giving just as good as she got.

Alanna had used up all but two of her weapons. As best as she could judge it was approaching one o'clock in the morning.  Roger had struck later than they had anticipated, but she had still been fighting for a horribly long time. She could hold her own easily against one or two armed men, three or four unarmed men especially when they fought dirty. While they stayed true to the Code of Chivalry, so did she, meaning that she was unable to use the vast repertoire of tricks George and Liam had taught her over the years. But these three men were armed and fought cleanly. 

She fought back, ducked and parried on her reflexes, leaving no time gap between her thought and action. 

She allowed one man to stab her lower arm, only to retaliate by thrusting another man's sword behind her and into his chest as she knocked the one whose sword she had used to kill his ally out with her dagger hilt. One man faced her now and as he watched she grabbed the dying man's hand and thrust the sword he still held through his throat. It was a mercy stroke. The man would never recover from the blow to his skull she had dealt him. He would have died slowly here unless she had put him out of his misery. 

The last man was shorter than the Duke and exactly opposite to him in looks, as he had fair hair and brown eyes. His pupils were dilated in fear and his breath was coming in gasps. 

"You can still leave." She said quietly, "My quarrel is not with you." She could almost see his brain working furiously. But his fear of his sorcerer master was obviously greater than his fear of her.

Slashing with his sword, he attacked furiously, trying to cut any part of her he could reach. She moved to the side as he lunged, bringing her leg up and kicking him forcefully in the upper arm. His sword fell from nerveless fingers and clattered on the stone at her feet. He tried to punch her in the face, she grabbed the arm as she moved away from the blow, pulled him towards her and brought her knee up into his face brutally. Shards of his nose dug deeply into his brain. As she released him he fell like a stone to the balcony floor. 

Alanna let him drop and stepped over his body to face Roger at last.

That wasn't a cliff hanger was it? I mean really. I don't think it is. Please don't hate me if you think it is… The next update will be up soon.

**HuntressDiana**


	36. Chapter Thirty Four, Allies and Enemies

**Chapter Thirty Five; Allies and Enemies. **

This is the penultimate chapter then. One more to go… 

"Such a waste." Alanna said regretfully

"They were fools. Pawns." Duke Roger said dismissively.

"But there were the only ones who stood by you." She smirked at him. "Funny that."

"Whore!" He cursed. "Pauper's bastard!"

"You don't know anything about me." She said, unperturbed as she began to walk around him. "Why should I care what you think?"

Outwardly he was still and calm, but his words sought to find a crack in her armour.

"Beggar! Slut!" 

Alanna drew her sword from beneath her skirt where she had put it as she left the library. The hilt had been hidden at the base of her spine while the blade went up the back of her bodice, secured in a special sheath.

Roger's eyes widened slightly as she saw the sword appear from behind her back. He had assumed all this time that his nemesis was a man and that the girl who had stolen his books was hired help. He had thought the noble girl who had shot the bolt from the crossbow had just been firing wildly. But now he saw that she was a trained, disciplined fighter and she was the one who had been fighting him all this time. Her eyes were a clear amethyst, glinting with rage and confidence. She held the sword naturally, daring him to underestimate her. But Roger wasn't helpless, although the mages' spells had done a good job, leeching his Gift from him, he had been known as a great swordsman in his youth. 

Alanna sized him up once more, a smile playing around her lips.

"Come on then." She urged, standing low, sword ready at centre. He was desperate she knew, his plans had been ripped out from beneath him, and he could almost see his victory moving further away from him. His desperation would make him a dangerous and unpredictable opponent.

"You'll never defeat me!" he hissed.

"Really?" She raised a sceptical eyebrow. "I think I already have. All my friends know about your plans."

"How will _your _friends stop me?" He asked arrogantly.

"Well, I imagine Gary will be telling his father about now. Jon will let his parents know as well soon. Sir Myles will be told by Alex and Raoul as soon as they spot him and this," She gestured around them at the devastation and the bodies, "proves my case more conclusively than your books ever could."

"What!" Roger advanced towards her. "You stole my books?"

"Yes." She didn't move from her position as he came closer. "And Master Raquel put a protection and cloaking spell upon them. They are safe now."

With an animal shriek of rage Roger slashed at her with his sword. Alanna dodged the blow; there was no point wasting her energy. She was quite good with a sword, but not up to the Conté Duke's standards. He would try and use his magic as well as his extra height against her. She would have to be very fast and cunning to defeat him. She parried another cut and sliced back at him. It was always better to attack than to defend. If you fought defensively then, at worst you weren't the better fighter, and at best you wore them down.

Roger fell back slightly as she cut at his arms and legs in an attempt to disable him. With a grunt, he knocked her blade aside and thrust his into her sword arm, just above the elbow, in the same muscle that had been wounded before. Alanna cried out in pain, her sword drooping in her grip. Roger aimed directly for her blade and knocking it out of her hand.

Unarmed now, she was weaker than him. Clutching her wounded arm close to her body, she drew her last knife. It was meant for throwing though, and the handle was too short to stab and use in close battle. As Roger came to tower over her, lifting his sword high to sever her head from her body, she leapt up from her protective crouch to hit him beneath his chin with her shoulder and to stab him deeply in his shoulder. Now he too was unable to use a sword properly. Alanna herself was wielding her knife in her left hand. She gave him no time to recover, throwing the knife hard into his thigh and kicking him over to lie flat on the ground, blood trickling through his fingers as he clutched his wound. As he struggled to rise, Alanna looked around for a weapon. Her sword seemed to have fallen off the balcony, and her knife was still in the Duke's leg. 

She caught sight of her crushed crossbow lying beneath the last man she had killed. She pulled the wreckage out from beneath his body and turned to face Roger, who was holding his sword awkwardly in his left hand. He was murmuring spell words, Alanna could feel the power gathering around her. The leeching spells Thom and Raquel had used had helped her stay alive so far, but they hadn't stolen all his magic and he was prepared to risk using some of his life force to stop her. 

Before he could finish the spell, Alanna threw herself at him and looped the metal bowstring around his neck.  The wire cut into her hands painfully as Roger thrashed, struggling to throw her off his back. They crashed through an open door, back into the main ballroom and men everywhere froze as they saw the two locked in combat. 

Alanna's hands were slick with blood both from her hands and Roger's neck, but still she clung on, biting her lip to curb the pain she felt. Roger was choking now, suffocated by the wire wrapped around his throat and the blood flooding into his lungs.

Alanna jerked the wire noose tighter and as she fell to the ground, dying, she released the bowstring and bent over him.

"That 'whore' and 'beggar's brat' just saved all of Tortall from you." She hissed in his ear. "How does that feel? And for your information my name is Lady Alanna of Trebond and Silvereves and my family are in the book of Gold."

He muttered something, she waited from him to finish, straining to understand his words, to find if they were another spell, then when he stopped muttering, she turned her back in disgust. She moved to walk away, only to find five Eldorne men and Delia throwing themselves at her as they saw their fallen master. 

Suddenly a wind began to circle the hall, throwing everyone in it around like paper dolls. Alanna leant into the gale, fighting to see what had caused the wind. Then she saw; Roger's bloodstained hand had fallen upon a symbol written on the floor. Previously it had been hidden beneath a rug, but now that was pulled away, it was in plain sight. She threw herself away from her attacker, flinging herself into the wind, clutching on to anything stationary to pull herself closer. When she reached the Duke's body she kicked his hand, still bleeding orange fire, away from the symbol. The winds howled around the room once more, shifting anything and every one who wasn't holding on to something, before dying down. 

She studied the symbol and her heart faltered. It was one of the characters that were written around the Gate of Idramm. She looked up and saw orange light coming from all around the room. She dropped to her knees in an attempt to rub out the design. Before she could do so, a heavy weight landed on her back, kicking and clawing. Twisting in her captor's grip she brought herself face to face with Lady Delia. As soon as she could, Delia, her green eyes wide and deranged, tried to claw Alanna's eyes out. 

Alanna caught sight of the Dragon fighting off a noble man and yelled out to him

"The circle Liam! Break the circle!"

She heard him yell something back, although the words were indistinguishable from the shrieks coming out from the Gate. Alanna struggled against Delia for a few seconds more, before finally knocking the Lady unconscious by ramming her head against a pillar.

Alanna turned to see Liam kneeling by the Gate; he reached out with his hand, covered by a bit of cloth, to touch the black symbol. A man leapt for him, sword drawn. Alanna knocked him out of his trajectory, leaving Liam safe as she faced off with the man. She dodged and weaved, stalling for time more than anything else. The man lashed out, his sword catching her palm, opening the wire cuts further, and cutting her cheek. She glanced over her shoulder as she kicked her opponent in the stomach, to see the Dragon rubbing furiously at the marble floor.

Then Alanna's whole world exploded.


	37. Chapter Thirty Five: An End

**Chapter Thirty Six; ...and an End**.

**Well here it is guys, the last chapter of 'Princess of the Rogue'.**

**Buffy fans should know what I mean later. And those who don't- find out. Where have you been for the past eight years? It took a lot for me to write, and post this; I hope it is worth it.**

Jonathon picked his way through the rubble that was scattered all around the hall. The survivors were congregating in the next room, the braver men and those who could heal were seeking out the dying and the wounded and were healing where they could, or putting an end to their suffering. The dead were carried out into an antechamber, while the men wearing Eldorne colours were thrown into a smaller room, ready to be burned on Traitor's hill. 

They had cleared the back half of the hall of people when Gary and Raoul limped up to the Prince. Both had been in the thick of the fighting and had sustained some injuries, although none severe enough to immediately require a healer. Gary had been cut in the shoulder, and carried his left side stiffly. Raoul sported a bruise on his temple and a split eyebrow and his left eye was slightly out of focus, occasionally he would stop, shake his head like a dog then carry on. The knights greeted each other wearily.

The fighting hadn't ended at once when Roger's spell had been ruptured. It had taken a while for all of his allies to realise that surrendering was the best option for them.

"Did you hear Jon?" Alex said, returning from the healer's rooms. "Both Master Raquel and the Shang Dragon are dead."

"No!" Although he hadn't got to know Liam Ironarm well, he knew Alanna had cared for him deeply and she would be devastated for his death.

"The Dragon was the one who broke the spell. All the magic in the Gate went through him." Alex explained soberly. "Duke Baird says it literally ripped him apart inside. But before he died he was muttering something about Alanna. He was gone before he could make it clear what he was saying."

"And Master Raquel?" Gary asked.

"Master Thom says they were both thrown over the balcony by Roger's magic. Raquel was unlucky; his head hit a stone when he landed. Thom managed to slow his flight down a little. He is quite cut up from the bushes he landed in though."

"Has anyone seen Alanna?" George limped up behind them

"She's probably helping the healers or out looking for any stray rebels." Raoul said.

_She lay face down upon a hard stone floor. She could feel the cold smoothness disturbed by cracks through the marble beneath her cheek._

_She could no longer feel her feet or her hands as the loss of blood took its toll upon her body. The pain in her back and chest were fading now, but she could still feel a sharp edge digging into her body, through her ruined dress. She tried to move but found that all she could do was lift a feeble hand to try and push herself over, but failed as it fell back to the ground, her muscles wracked with pain._

_Someone's torn skirts came into her vision and the lady knelt down beside her head, talking softly to her as they examined the wound._

_'Don't bother with me' she wanted to say 'Go and save someone else who can be saved. I have lost too much blood. I know I am going to die soon." She was a healer, so she knew the signs, weariness, blurry vision and a horrible ache in her skull._

_The woman had obviously come to the same realisation as she had, because she heard her voice change tone, from softly reassuring to sorrowful. _

_Suddenly she felt a coolness spreading down her body, as the woman bent low over her. She shut her eyes, they were chanting a spell, probably to put her to sleep, so she could die without pain._

_'Don't waste your energy' she thought. 'There is no pain, not anymore.' Her hearing and vision cleared for a second and she opened her eyes, seeing a coppery curl lying on the floor beside her head. She heard the woman begin chanting again, then she caught a familiar word; 'Alanna'._

_'Alanna' she thought fuzzily, as her eyelids closed of their own accord, as she accepted that her death was inevitable and that she could not fight it. Even as her sleepy mind struggled to keep her alive, her heart faltered. 'Oh yes, I am Ala...'. _

_She was unable to finish her thought as she sensed her world changing into soft darkness. _

_Then the Dark God came for her._

_"Come then," he said, "Your mother is waiting for you now." _

_And she went willingly, only sparing a quick thought for those she left behind her._

_"Oh well." She said to the cowled God of Death. "I belong here now."_

The young knights roamed the hall, looking for their friend.

"Prince Jonathon! Majesty!" Stephan ran up to them, his usually placid face twisted in devastation. "You should see this." He led them at a run to the entrance of a balcony. Just inside the doors laid a body, covered with someone's cloak. 

They all froze in their tracks, frantically hoping that this wasn't what they all feared deep in their hearts. George was the first to move forwards. Gently he pulled the cloak down from the head. 

"No. No. No!" He fell to his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks. Gary pulled the rest of the covering away, before also kneeling, at the feet, also crying out in shock as the rest froze.

A young girl lay there, sprawled across the floor, she was short and slim and her fiery copper hair fell across her face, obscuring her features. Jonathon knelt beside her head, still vainly hoping that it wasn't her. Carefully he pulled the hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear,

"No!" Tears began trickling down his cheeks too as he saw her face. "Alanna!"

He struggled to turn her over, then realising he couldn't see properly through his tears, wiped them away, then he saw the reason why he had been unable to roll her onto her back. She had been shot in the back at very close range, although her face was peaceful and unmarked save for a few scratches, her body was twisted in agony. The bolt had gone through her lung and emerged between her breasts. Jon fumbled for his dagger, then accepted Raoul's as the big knight offered it to him.  All of the men were kneeling on the floor, unashamedly weeping as Jon cut the shaft and pulled it out of her body, then grabbing the arrowhead in his hand, not noticing the pain that bit into his palm. It was nothing compared to the pain that was in his heart. He did not miss the irony that Alanna had performed this same service to him not long before, and he was alive while she was not.

Jon finally managed to turn her over so she was lying on her back.

George took her hand carefully and started checking for a pulse. When he found her skin was barely warm and her pulse was non existent, he let her wrist drop and buried his head in his hands and wept harder.

Defeated and exhausted by the long battle and grief, they all crumpled to the ground around her serene body. 

All at once they had lost a loyal friend, a devoted daughter, a potential lover and the bravest warrior the country had ever known.

**Time to go. **

**'Little Miss Muffet, counting down from 7-3-0.'**

**HuntressDiana.**


	38. Epilogue

**Epilogue.**

Lady Alanna's funeral procession wound its sombre way through the city.

Prince Jonathan, Raoul, Gary and her brother, Master Thom of Trebond, who she had newly been reunited with, acted as pallbearers. All were silent and pale with grief. Their faces were streaked with tears.

George followed the coffin of his foster daughter, accompanied by Alex, heads bowed in sorrow. A royal guard surrounded the coffin.

The sound of weeping filled the streets of the City and as the coffin passed, men bowed and women curtsied, both noble and commoner. She had managed to do something many others had tried to do and failed. She had brought both classes of the country together for at least that day. Born into the world of nobility then finding herself a commoner, she had a foot in both classes, and now, united in their grief for her, she had made Tortall whole again. Although the next day the nobles would scorn the lower classes and the commoners would mock those of higher birth, most put that aside for this moment.

The death toll was high, with many rebels dead, and along with them were some of the King's Own, the Palace guard, other knights and a few nobles. The Shang Dragon and Master Raquel of the Mithran Light had been buried yesterday. But Lady Alanna was the most mourned. She was to be buried in the catacombs under the palace. She would be the first woman to be entombed in the Chamber of Heroes.

However there was one figure watching the procession who was dry eyed. She turned to the south, her long hair flowing in a wind that no one else could feel, her dress ripped and torn. As she turned her hood up high to cover her face, she took one last look back at Corus.

"Farewell." She bade it and Lady Alanna goodbye, then turned back to her horse and mounted it easily.

She had never been one for long goodbyes, she preferred to slip away quietly, and as Lady Alanna's funeral was in progress, now seemed like a good time. No one would notice her leaving.

"Come on girl. Let's go."

* * *

_Well, that's it everyone, at least for the moment..._

_It's been a long time since I started this and I've enjoyed doing this so much. I've loved almost every second of it, and as strange as it is to say, I'm going to miss 'Princess of the Rogue'. Don't kill me for the ending please! I know you hated it, but I wanted it to be unexpected. _

_I also meant for it to be sad, let me know if it came out that way. If you do hate me right about now I guess I've done something right. I didn't want this to fizzle out. I have plenty more stories in me to tell both in Alanna's world and in others, but I thought this would be a good point for me, and Alanna to go out with a bang. _

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed this from the beginning and others who began later, it really is great to post something and have such an enthusiastic response._

_Remember,_

_**"Be back before Dawn."**_

* * *

_**There is now a sequel to Princess of the Rogue. It's called Lady Storm and I hope you'll read and let me know what you think of that also!**_

_HuntressDiana._


End file.
